By Harry Awurumibe, Editor Abuja Bureau
Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer, Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA), Mr. Uche Orji has said that the Presidential Fertiliser Initiative (PFI) is the most successful programme of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
This is even as he revealed that Nigeria is still importing potash, an essential raw material for the production of fertilizer from
Russia inspite of the country’s war with Ukraine.
Orji who spoke at the 39th Session of the State House Briefing held on Thursday at State House Press Gallery, Presidential Villa, Abuja, on the current status of PFI and the impact the implementation of the initiative would deliver to the economy of Nigeria disclosed that the number of fertilizer blending plants in Nigeria have risen to 72.
The NSIA boss who also provided further updates on key collaborations between the Federal Government and the State Governments in the implementation of the initiative insists that it has surpassed expectations.
Said he: “The Presidential Fertiliser Initiative is the most successful programme of the Buhari Administration. We know where the country was in fertiliser production before Mr. President came to power. The indices are there for everyone to see”.
“PFI came on board after President Buhari visited Russia and Morocco to discuss with President Vladimir Putin and the King of Morocco respectively on how fertilizers will be blended in Nigeria and farmers get them at a reasonable prices. They agreed on how we can get the raw materials from Russia and Morocco”.
Orji posited that PFI has revolutionised fertilizer production and availability in Nigeria, arguing that the accessibility to the raw materials have made the price of the product to crash.
He also said that raw materials needed for the fertilizer production are sourced from both local and overseas. Among the raw materials are urea and limestone which are available in Nigeria.
Said he: “The good news is that we now have Gombe and Bauchi states having fertilizer blending plants, not many in the North East because of Insecurity. There are many across the Southern part of Nigeria”.
Speaking further on how Nigeria is procuring the raw materials in the face of the global scarcity of food products including food processing raw materials especially potash,
the NSIA Managing Director said that
availability of potash will not be a problem anymore as consignments are being imported from and Canada.
Said he:: “I want to reveal that potash consignments are coming from Russia on June 3 and another on June 6 from Canada. Impact of Russia-Ukraine war is real but we have no problems because we are buying from Russia and Canada now”.
According to him oil, fertiliser and food production are not banned asfertilizer is explicitly excluded from Russian ban, pointing out that PFI has been a successful programme of the Buhari administration.
“The situation in 2017 when fertilizer sold at high prices has changed because we now have 72 blending plants in Nigeria as at May 2022. We control the materials and
prices of fertilizer have come down from N17, 000 and N5,000 at some point. So PFI has been a successful programme of Mr. President. People are actually investing in Fertiliser Bleeding Plants”, Orji argued.
