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 as part of efforts to enhance agricultural productivity and strengthen food security.
The initiative was unveiled at the launch of the 2026 Fertiliser and Agricultural Inputs Sales and Distribution Programme held at the Benue Fertilizer Blending Plant in Makurdi.
Governor Alia described the policy as a sustained intervention rather than a one-off measure, designed to ease the financial burden on farmers, expand cultivated farmland through aggregation, and stimulate rural economic activity.
He explained that distribution will cover all 23 local government areas of the state, adding that stricter monitoring systems have been introduced to ensure fairness and prevent diversion of agricultural inputs.
The governor also disclosed that the volume of fertiliser and other inputs has been increased to meet rising demand driven by expanded farming activities across the state.
Beyond fertiliser support, he outlined a broader agricultural development agenda that includes the construction and rehabilitation of rural roads, expansion of irrigation systems for all-year farming, promotion of agro-processing and value-chain development, and training programmes for farmers, youths, and women in agribusiness.
He warned that any form of diversion or malpractice in the distribution process would attract strict sanctions.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Agriculture, Benjamin Ashaver, assured farmers that the era of substandard fertiliser distribution in Benue had ended, noting that comprehensive quality control measures have been put in place to guarantee access to high-quality inputs.
The programme is expected to benefit thousands of farmers ahead of the 2026 farming season.