Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, has approved a 51 per cent subsidy on fertiliser, reducing the price of a bag to ₦28,000 for farmers across the state in a bid to boost agricultural productivity and strengthen food security.
Governor Alia made the announcement on Thursday during the launch of the 2026 Fertiliser and Agricultural Inputs Sales and Distribution Programme held at the Benue Fertilizer Blending Plant in Makurdi.
Alia said the subsidy was introduced to ease the rising cost of farming inputs and to encourage greater participation in agriculture across the state.
He explained that the initiative forms part of his administration’s broader agricultural development strategy aimed at expanding farmland through land aggregation, improving access to quality inputs, and increasing overall farm output.
According to him, “This initiative is not just a seasonal intervention but a deliberate policy direction designed to enhance food security, expand cultivated farmlands through land aggregation, and stimulate rural economic prosperity.”
The governor stressed that maintaining Benue’s status as Nigeria’s food basket requires sustained investment in modern farming practices and continuous support for farmers.
He added that the 2026 distribution exercise will cover all 23 local government areas, with strengthened monitoring systems put in place to ensure fairness and prevent diversion of inputs.
Alia also revealed that the state has increased the quantity of fertiliser and other agricultural inputs available this year to meet rising demand driven by expanded farming activities and land aggregation efforts.
He noted that the agricultural agenda of the administration also includes the construction and rehabilitation of rural roads, expansion of irrigation facilities for all-year farming, promotion of agro-processing and value-chain development, as well as training programmes for farmers, youths, and women in agribusiness.
The governor urged farmers to take advantage of the subsidised inputs to boost production and warned officials handling distribution to maintain strict transparency and accountability.
He also cautioned that anyone found diverting or engaging in malpractice would face appropriate sanctions.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Hon. Benjamin Ashaver, said the era of substandard fertiliser distribution in Benue had ended.
Ashaver said robust monitoring systems had been introduced to ensure farmers receive quality fertiliser, warning that anyone bypassing approved procedures or engaging in unethical practices would be punished.
The programme is expected to benefit thousands of farmers across the state as preparations intensify for the 2026 farming season.
