The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) commenced the distribution of subsidised fertiliser and farming equipment across the six area councils on Thursday, in what observers say signals Minister Nyesom Wike’s determination to stamp his imprint on agricultural policy and rural development in the territory.
Performing the flag-off in Abuja, Wike stated that the initiative was a decisive step to tackle food insecurity, reduce the burden of rising input costs on farmers, and strengthen their livelihoods. He described agriculture as central to his administration’s strategy of building “a prosperous, inclusive, and secure capital city.”
Represented by his Chief of Staff, Chidi Amadi, the minister announced that 50 metric tonnes of fertiliser would be rolled out at 50 per cent subsidised rates, in line with the current farming season. He stressed that the FCTA had put measures in place to check diversion, warning beneficiaries against reselling the inputs.
“This administration remains committed to building a prosperous, inclusive, and secure city. Our enhanced security efforts are restoring confidence in our communities and providing a safe environment for agriculture and investment. I particularly appeal to our youths to embrace agriculture as a viable pathway to prosperity,” he stated.
Mandate Secretary for Agriculture and Rural Development, Suleiman Ango, disclosed that the Secretariat procured 15,000 metric tonnes of fertiliser, 3,500 knapsack sprayers, and other inputs for distribution strictly to certified farmers, cooperatives, and associations.
“All these products will be made available at highly subsidised rates to ease production costs and enhance productivity. Strict monitoring and control measures have been put in place to ensure these inputs do not find their way into the open market,” Ango said, linking the intervention to President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Also speaking, Mandate Secretary for Women Affairs, Dr. Adedayo Benjamins-Laniyi, unveiled Muje Puje, a project integrating food security initiatives for women, youth, students, and households. She emphasised that “investing in women and farming is not merely a gender agenda—it is an expression of national development,” noting that the project had revived a 9,000-square-metre farm in Puje.
Traditional rulers from across the FCT witnessed the ceremony, with officials urging them to mobilise rural dwellers to embrace farming and safeguard farmlands from insecurity.
The intervention is not just a response to spiralling food inflation, but also part of Wike’s effort to consolidate his political profile in Abuja, where he has, since assuming office, launched projects in infrastructure, security, and now agriculture.
By tying the fertiliser scheme to Tinubu’s Renewed Hope programme, Wike is seen as aligning closely with the Presidency, while simultaneously projecting himself as a minister keen to deliver practical dividends in the FCT.
