Over two thousand grain farmers in Kaduna State have made a desperate appeal to the Federal Government for immediate assistance following catastrophic financial losses during the last farming season. The farmers are seeking free or heavily subsidised inputs to prevent a collapse in production.
Financial Ruin After Maize Price Collapse
No fewer than 2,143 farmers from Kaduna's three senatorial districts have been pushed to the brink. They suffered collective losses estimated at a staggering N10.16 billion from the 2025 farming season. This crisis was triggered by a sudden nationwide crash in the price of maize, which occurred simultaneously with unprecedented hikes in the cost of essential farm supplies.
The farmers detailed their plight in a formal letter sent on 8 January 2026. The correspondence was addressed to high-ranking officials including the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), the Minister of Agriculture, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and Kaduna's three senators. Their lawyer, Ehizogie Fidelis Imadojemu, drafted the letter on their behalf.
The Scheme That Couldn't Withstand the Shock
The affected growers operate under a coordinated maize farming scheme led by Rufai Muazu Dikko, popularly known as Sarkin Labar. The initiative, which started in 2017 with 1,000 hectares, has grown significantly. It now encompasses roughly 10,000 hectares cultivated by farmers across the Igabi, Soba, Kauru, Zaria, and Sabon Gari local government areas.
Under this arrangement, Sarkin Labar provides the capital, inputs, and logistics. In return, farmers repay him with a portion of their maize harvest and sell the remainder to generate income. However, the 2025 season shattered this model.
The farmers reported that input costs soared uncontrollably. A 50kg bag of NPK fertiliser sold for about N60,000, while urea rose to N50,000 per bag. Consequently, the total cost of cultivating one hectare of maize skyrocketed to over N2 million, doubling from the approximately N1 million required the previous year.
The Math Behind a N10 Billion Disaster
With an average yield of 45 bags (100kg each) per hectare, the farmers needed to sell each bag for about N44,578 just to break even and recover their production costs. The reality of the market was brutally different.
The prevailing market price for a 100kg bag of maize crashed to around N22,000. This price was less than half of what they needed to survive. The result was a devastating loss of N22,577 on every single bag sold.
From a total output of approximately 450,000 bags harvested across the 10,000 hectares, the farmers calculated their aggregate financial damage: a crushing N10.16 billion loss.
A Warning and a Plea to Avert a Greater Crisis
The group has issued a stark warning to the authorities. They caution that without urgent government support, a massive number of producers—especially in northern Nigeria—may be forced to abandon farming altogether in the 2026 season.
They argue that such an exodus would directly undermine the food security agenda of President Bola Tinubu's administration. To prevent this, their primary request is for a targeted bailout facilitated through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
They are specifically asking for free or heavily subsidised inputs like fertiliser and urea to be provided for the upcoming farming season. This intervention, they believe, is critical to keeping them on the land and safeguarding the nation's food supply chain.
