FG to Add Phosphorus Management to Soil Health Cards

News in Brief:

— The Federal Government plans to add phosphorus management to the Soil Health Card and expand soil testing and quality assurance.

— It aims to ensure every naira spent on fertiliser delivers results, despite challenges such as setting up laboratories in all 774 LGAs.

The Federal Government has announced plans to add phosphorus management to the Soil Health Card to help farmers get better returns from fertiliser and expand soil testing and quality checks nationwide.

The Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Aliyu Abdullahi, revealed this plan at the Nigeria Fertiliser Summit 2026, held on Monday in Abuja, according to NAN.

Nigeria's Soil Health Card is a report that gives farmers vital information on soil condition, and Phosphorus is an important soil chemical component for crop growth that supports root development and the production cycle.

The minister noted the importance of actively managing nutrients at the summit, organised by the Institute of Agricultural Research and Training (IAR&T) in collaboration with OCP Africa, the Fertiliser Producers and Suppliers Association of Nigeria (FEPSAN) and other stakeholders.

Why Phosphorus Matters to Farmers

Speaking on the summit's theme "Phosphorus and Food Security: Challenges in Food Production Systems in Nigeria", Abdullahi said Nigeria's pursuit of food security is closely tied to soil health and the careful use of phosphorus. He added that farming success depends not only on land, seeds, water and workforce, but also on the soil's ability to supply the nutrients crops need.

The minister highlighted phosphorus as one of these nutrients, noting its essential role in root expansion, nutrient transport, rapid seedling growth and overall output of numerous staple crops.

"Phosphorus management remains a major challenge due to soil composition, nutrient exhaustion, suboptimal fertiliser practices and poor access to soil analysis services. The government aims to ensure phosphorus becomes accessible to plants and delivers return on every naira spent on fertiliser, he said.

Abdullahi said the government is ready to stop treating fertiliser and its components as a mere commodity for distribution. Instead, it is approaching it as a critical input whose effectiveness depends on scientific understanding of soil and crop needs.

What the Soil Health Scheme Has Achieved

Minister Abdullahi chronicled the development of the Nigerian Farmers' Soil Health Scheme (NFSHS) and its progress in his address. He noted that the scheme was unveiled in October 2025 to replace general fertiliser advice with an evidence-based, site-specific approach built around the farmer.

The achievements include the development of the Soil Health Card and the Nigeria Soil Information System (NiSIS), as well as stronger soil-testing facilities across local government areas (LGAs).

"These initiatives were carried out in partnership with the Coalition of the Willing and the Regional Hub for Fertiliser and Soil Health for West Africa and the Sahel," he said.

Speaking about the challenges faced, Abdullahi said setting up laboratories in all 774 LGAs was daunting, as well as the availability and quality of soil data. Others are institutional coordination, farmer awareness, the cost and availability of suitable fertiliser products, and sustainability.

Priorities for the Next Phase of the scheme

He listed seven priority areas for the scheme's next phase. They include speeding up state-level domestication, expanding soil testing and quality assurance, making NiSIS operational and adding phosphorus management to Soil Health Cards.

"The government will also prioritise strengthening extension delivery, mobilising sustainable financing and measuring results based on farm-level impact. Fertile soils constitute the bedrock of agricultural productivity; judicious phosphorus stewardship is critical to soil health; comprehensive soil health management is essential to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's food security mandate," Abdullahi said.

Other speakers also called for shared responsibility. Executive Director of IAR&T, Gabriel Oluwatosin, described phosphorus as the nutrient nobody talks about in food security, noting that crops have no substitute for it. He urged soil testing and precise fertiliser placement so farmers do not waste the nutrient.

Vice-Chancellor of Obafemi Awolowo University, Adebayo Bamire, who delivered the keynote address, said government, researchers, the fertiliser industry, extension services, the private sector and development partners must all play their part.