Food security: Amina Mohammed urges Nigeria to improve fertiliser policies

Amina Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, has called on the Federal Government to introduce policies that will ensure Nigerian farmers benefit directly from local fertiliser production.

Mohammed, who also chairs the United Nations Sustainable Development Group, made the call during an interview in Washington DC while responding to concerns over food security and limited fertiliser access for smallholder farmers.

Her remarks followed reports that although Nigeria’s fertiliser export industry is expanding, many local farmers continue to struggle with rising costs and poor access to the product.

According to her, government collaboration with the private sector is key to creating domestic policies that make fertiliser more affordable and available to farmers nationwide.

“You have to find a domestic policy that allows for a capacity of production in Nigeria to open that up for farmers,” she said in a report with TheCable newspaper.

She stressed that the private sector should not be viewed as separate from government efforts, noting that businesses create jobs, generate revenue, and can play a major role in addressing food insecurity when supported by the right policies.

Mohammed added that Nigeria had previously achieved similar cooperation in the oil sector and should now replicate such efforts in agriculture.

Her comments come amid growing global economic uncertainty triggered by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.