From Magnus Eze, Abuja
Fertiliser Producers and Suppliers Association (FEPSAN), has said that the country will begin to export fertiliser in the next five years going by the programme of the Presidential Fertiliser Initiative (PFI).
FEPSAN Executive Secretary, Alhaji Ahmed Rabiu Kwa, who gave the assurance in Abuja, said the PFI strategy had led to the revival of 11 fertiliser blending plants in the country and was now working towards increasing production for export.
He also disclosed that five additional fertiliser blending plants will begin production by the end of the month to complement the existing ones.
“Once we have a proactive government like we have now, in the next five years things will turn around in the fertiliser industry. It will be sufficient and we will be able to supply our neighbouring countries in West Africa.
“At the moment, Dangote has entered into agreement to produce about 2.8 million tonnes of fertiliser by 2019, so that is a big injection into the industry.
“The future is very bright for the fertiliser industry because at the moment in Nigeria, we are using 10 kilogrammes of fertiliser per hectare as against world average of 100 kilogrammes,” Kwa stated.
He noted that fertiliser supply had significantly increased in the last six months compared to what was obtainable in the previous year, explaining that the current PFI had saved Nigeria over 200 million dollars in foreign exchange aside crashing the price of fertiliser from N10,000 to N5,500 for a 50kg bag.
Kwa, however, urged the Minister of Transport Rotimi Amaechi and his Works counterpart, Babatunde Fashola, to ensure that the country had good transport and road network to easy the challenges faced by distributors and drivers in transporting fertiliser.