Nigerian Farmers Lament Low Agrochemical Potency and Soaring Costs

News in Brief:

-Nigerian farmers are struggling with skyrocketing costs and ineffective, likely adulterated agrochemicals that are failing to control resilient pests. 

-To survive, many are calling for stricter NAFDAC regulation or forming cooperatives to source genuine products directly from foreign manufacturers.

Nigerian farmers across the federation are sounding the alarm over the declining potency of essential agrochemicals, attributing the trend to widespread adulteration and tampering.

One farmer disclosed that he has been forced to use nearly three times the recommended dosage to achieve desired results. This increased application significantly hikes production costs, which must ultimately be reflected in the final price of foodstuffs.

“The market is indifferent to these challenges,” the farmer stated, referring to the fluctuating prices of raw commodities. These rising input costs continue to erode profits and threaten the livelihoods of smallholder farmers.

A farmer in Northern Nigeria corroborated these concerns, noting that the drop in chemical efficacy became glaring during the second quarter of the 2025 farming season. “I noticed that the herbicides I applied performed poorly compared to previous years,” he lamented.

He further revealed that upon complaining to a "highly reputable" brand, the company confirmed the reduced potency through laboratory tests on batches of their fertilisers and herbicides.

This follows a January 2026 report by this publication, which detailed similar complaints regarding counterfeit agrochemicals circulating among farmers in Bauchi State.

The Rise of "Emboldened" Pests

Vegetable farmers have been particularly hard-hit, noting that common pests such as thrips, aphids, and mites appear increasingly resilient.

“Common brands like Punch and Hallakat are no longer as effective as they once were,” one vegetable grower explained. “Now, you have to create 'cocktails' by mixing soap or potassium nitrate with Supergro, while simultaneously increasing the insecticide dosage, just to stand a chance.”

Many of these farmers emphasised that they purchased these chemicals from long-term, trusted vendors, suggesting that the "faking" or dilution occurs further up the supply chain.

The Danger of Escalating Dosages

While farmers increase concentrations to save their crops, scientific research warns.) that this practice accelerates insecticide resistance.

To mitigate this, experts recommend Integrated Pest Management (IPM). This approach involves rotating insecticides with different modes of action to prevent pests from adapting, utilising non-chemical methods where possible, and minimising the overall chemical footprint on the soil.

There is an urgent need for regulatory bodies, specifically the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), to intensify market surveillance and regulate agrochemicals sold in open markets.

In response to the crisis, some farmers are exploring the formation of cooperatives to bypass local middlemen and procure supplies directly from international manufacturers, suspecting that the tampering occurs after the products enter the country.