EIGHTEEN fertilizer blending plants have successfully been restored under the Presidential Fertilizer Initiative (PFI), according to the Fertilizer Producers and Suppliers Association of Nigeria (FEPSAN).

President of the association, Thomas Etuh, made the revelation in Abuja, stating that the revived plants are now functional.

According to Etuh: “We used to have six fertilizer plants working at 10 per cent capacity but with the introduction of PFI, we moved to 11 plants in the first phase and today, 18 out of the 32 plants are engaged in this programme.”

He also stated that: “I know that in the next two to three years, Aliko Dangote’s fertiliser plant will start production and others are also coming up. Currently, Nigeria is a net exporter of Urea-based fertilizer.”

“With Dangote plant coming on board and INDORAMA increasing to a second line, we will be producing about seven million tonnes of fertilizer. About 70 per cent of the fertilizer would be for export, while the remaining 30 per cent would be used within the country,’’ he posited.