FG Launches Soil Health Scheme to Boost Crop Yields

News in Brief:

-Nigeria has announced a soil health project to boost crop productivity by establishing 774 soil-testing laboratories across all local government areas.

-It will promote precision fertiliser use, reduce production costs, and empower farmers with science-based soil data for improved yields and sustainable food security.

The Federal Government of Nigeria has officially unveiled the Nigerian Farmers’ Soil Health Scheme (NFSHS) to address the challenge of low productivity and enhance access to soil testing for farmers nationwide. 

The nationwide scheme targets launching 774 soil-testing laboratories across all local government areas (LGAs) in the country, to transform crop productivity, restore soil fertility, and build a resilient, food-secure future for Nigeria’s farming communities.

Tackling Low Productivity and High Production Costs

At the launch event in Abuja, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Aliyu Sabi, described the initiative as a pioneering, locally developed response to key agricultural challenges in Nigeria. 

“It is designed to tackle the issue of low productivity and the high cost of production caused by indiscriminate fertiliser application and the associated waste," he stated. “The scheme promotes tailored fertiliser recommendations based on specific crops and locations, helping farmers achieve maximum yields and income, and thereby ensuring sustainable food security.”

Stressing the importance of the initiative to improve farming soil health in Nigeria, he described the soil as the quiet partner in every harvest, doing its job behind the scenes for every good crop.

"For many years, our soils have been working without rest, giving and giving, while we hardly checked how they were doing,”  Sabi explained.

This scheme provides farmers with precise, science-backed advice tailored to their farms, helping them to eliminate guesswork and reduce input costs.

Senator Sabi further noted that precision fertiliser use could enable farmers to double the yields of key crops. He cited examples where rice output could increase from 60 to 160 bags per hectare, wheat from 50 to 100 bags, and maize from 50 to 100 bags, with similar potential for onions and other crops. 

According to the minister, the initiative represents a move from subsistence to prosperity, where farmers earn more while feeding the nation.

Nation-Wide Labs and Tech-Powered Solution

The NFSHS, which is a flagship component of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, has a broader plan and target for agricultural transformation and self-sufficiency in Nigeria.

Some of its targets include creating a soil-testing lab for each of the 774 local government areas in the country, distributing personalised soil health cards for farmers, and establishing the Nigeria Soil Information System (NiSIS). The last one is a digital platform to aggregate soil data for evidence-based decision-making, research,  and policy development.

The soil testing labs in each LGA will enable farmers across urban and rural areas in Nigeria to easily access expert soil analysis services, while the NiSIS platform will power the issuing of personalised soil health cards detailing nutrient profiles, pH levels, and fertiliser recommendations for participating farmers across the country.

Senator Sabi explained that the scheme’s primary aim is to put an end to indiscriminate fertiliser application, a key driver of waste and groundwater pollution. By adopting crop-and-location-based recommendations, farmers will maximise yields and profitability.

NFSHS will help farmers to improve their fertiliser use and general soil management practice, which will improve their productivity.

Progress so far

According to Senator Sabi, several milestones have already been achieved with the support of partners, including GIZ, the World Bank’s ACReSAL Project, Soil Values, and the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA).

For example, they've developed the NFSHS concept note, formed the National Technical Executive Committee, and designed the Soil Health Card and NiSIS.

He disclosed that stakeholder workshops had been held across regions, a study tour to Ethiopia had been completed, and the scheme had been integrated into the ECOWAS Regional Fertiliser Hub. The ministry has also partnered with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

On the operational side, training for laboratory technicians and technologists on the use of Soil Health Card modules was conducted in Oyo and Kano States earlier in 2025, alongside readiness assessments and pilot soil analyses in 11 states across the six geopolitical zones.