Nigeria commits to boosting soil health for food security

21 November 2025

The Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security alongside partners unveiling the plaque for the NFSHS
The Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security alongside partners unveiling the plaque for the NFSHS

Nigeria has formally launched the Nigeria Farmers Soil Health Scheme (NFSHS), a key component of the Nigerian Presidential Soil Health Initiative, marking a significant national commitment to strengthening soil fertility, promoting sustainable agriculture, and ensuring long-term food security.

The launch, led by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAFS) and supported by IITA–CGIAR and other technical partners, marks a significant step toward transforming soil management practices nationwide.

The Initiative builds on years of collaborative technical work between IITA-CGIAR, an institute dedicated to generating agricultural innovations that tackle hunger, malnutrition, poverty, and natural resource degradation, and FMAFS, the lead institution responsible for national agricultural policy and food security programs.

IITA-CGIAR, through the Regional Hub for Fertilizer and Soil Health for West Africa and the Sahel, is part of the National Technical Committee supporting the vision of the FMAFS, the principal government institution responsible for formulating and implementing national policies and programs aimed at ensuring food security, enhancing productivity, and promoting sustainable agricultural development in Nigeria.

“IITA-CGIAR, through the Regional Hub, is actively engaged with FMAFS, at the strategic level to discuss plans for the country and at the ground level where soil sampling activities are underway, alongside our work on the formulation of new fertilizers adapted to specific crops such as maize and rice,” said Lionel Axel Kadja, Director, Regional Hub.

“IITA remains committed to generating agricultural innovations to combat malnutrition, poverty, and hunger across Africa.”

Kadja noted that, in line with the Nairobi Declaration, the Presidential Soil Health Initiative signals political commitment at the highest level to position soil health and fertilizer management as national priorities linked to food security, climate resilience, and rural livelihoods.

The Presidential Soil Health Initiative facilitates investment in soil mapping, testing laboratories, and extension services, while promoting policy reforms that align subsidies with sustainable and efficient fertilizer use in Nigeria.

Kadja stated that the Regional Hub is designed to serve as the technical backbone for soil health and fertilizer use in West Africa and the Sahel.

“With the Presidential Initiative in Nigeria, the Hub gains a visible champion that elevates soil health from a technical agenda to a political one,” said Kadja. “It creates demand and urgency for the Hub’s outputs — from digital soil maps and fertilizer recommendations to lab standards. Nigeria’s example helps the Hub catalyze momentum across ECOWAS, showing that regional cooperation can deliver tangible national benefits.”

Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security alongside partners and key stakeholders at the launch.
Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security alongside partners and key stakeholders at the launch.

As a strategic partner in the Presidential Soil Health Initiative, the Hub is leveraging scientific knowledge, technological innovation, and regional synergies to address challenges in soil fertility management, fertilizer efficiency, and the development of sustainable agricultural systems.

Launched in 2024 as a sub-program of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the Regional Hub brings together diverse stakeholders, including IITA, the International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC), OCP AFRICA, the African Plant Nutrition Institute (APNI), UM6P – University Mohammed VI Polytechnic, and the World Bank through the Accelerating Impacts of CGIAR Climate Research for Africa (AICCRA) project.

The Regional Hub provides technical assistance for developing and implementing ongoing and new fertilizer- and soil health-related investments across West Africa. One of its key functions is to develop site-specific fertilizer recommendations tailored to local soil conditions and crop needs, using high-quality agronomic datasets and cutting-edge data science techniques. These recommendations align with the principles of Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM) and the 4Rs of nutrient stewardship, right source, correct rate, right time, and right place, to support climate-smart, efficient, and sustainable agriculture across the region.

The Hub’s commitments include working with FMAFS to strengthen soil health and fertilizer management systems in Nigeria, while building national capacity through applied research, data systems, and policy support.

About the Regional Hub

The Regional Hub for Fertilizer and Soil Health for West Africa and the Sahel is a collaborative initiative promoting soil health and sustainable fertilizer use across the region. Launched in 2024 as a sub-program of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the Hub brings together diverse stakeholders, including the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC), OCP Africa, African Plant Nutrition Institute (APNI), University Mohammed VI Polytechnic (UM6P), and the World Bank through the Accelerating Impacts of CGIAR Climate Research for Africa (AICCRA) project under CGIAR.

Contributed by Barbra Muzata Sehlule and Ilerioluwa Oladipupo