The management of the Presidential Fertiliser Initiative (PFI-NPK) has formally shifted from the Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) to the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI), through its subsidiary, MOFI Management Company Limited (ManCo), marking a new phase for the scheme that has reshaped Nigeria’s fertiliser sector since 2016.
The transition, which will be completed in November 2025, when NSIA formally exits, follows nearly a decade of stewardship during which the authority revived the country’s blending industry, expanded access to affordable fertiliser, and laid the groundwork for food security.
Launched in 2016, the PFI was designed to end decades of scarcity, high prices, and import dependence that crippled farming productivity. Under NSIA’s management, blending plants grew from just four in 2016 to over 90 by July 2025, making fertiliser more available to smallholder farmers across the federation.
More than 128 million bags of NPK fertiliser were distributed during the period, while the programme generated over 100,000 direct and indirect jobs.
The scheme also reduced fertiliser costs for farmers and contributed significantly to food security, despite the shocks of global supply chain disruptions and currency volatility.
BusinessDay highlighted that the initiative’s structure allowed it to withstand external pressures, ensuring a steady supply at critical moments for the agricultural sector.
At a stakeholders’ roundtable in Abuja, the official handover was described as both symbolic and strategic. Aminu Umar-Sadiq, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the NSIA, said the transfer underscored the temporary nature of NSIA’s role.
“Our mandate was to revive the industry, stabilise operations, and create a foundation on which the private sector and permanent managers could build. The transition to MOFI marks the fulfilment of that mandate,” he stated.
The next phase, described as “PFI 3.0,” will be led by MOFI through ManCo. Armstrong Ume Takang, Chief Executive Officer of MOFI, said the focus would now shift to sustainability and innovation.
“This is not the time to be complacent. PFI 3.0 will deepen the impact of the initiative by expanding to underserved regions, introducing wet blend technology, and deploying traceability systems to tackle adulteration and diversion of raw materials,” he explained.
Takang stressed that ManCo’s role would be to anchor efficiency and accountability while drawing in greater private sector participation. According to him, the introduction of traceability systems is intended to restore confidence in fertiliser quality, protecting farmers from adulterated products that undermine yields and waste scarce resources.
The Federal Government, through MOFI, has pledged to work with industry players, blending plants, and the farming community to ensure that the transition does not disrupt supply.
Reports also highlighted the timeline of the handover and reiterated the employment impact that has made PFI one of the most significant agricultural reforms of the past decade.
