WACOT Limited has renewed its partnership with the Edo State Government to boost local fertiliser production, improve farmers’ access to agricultural inputs and strengthen food security.
The agreement, which began in 2017, covers operations at the Edo State Fertiliser and Chemical Company Limited in Auchi, reinforcing the facility’s role in supplying specialised fertiliser blends to farmers across Nigeria.
In a statement, WACOT Limited, a member of Tropical General Investments Group, said the renewed partnership would sustain local production and support smallholder farmers with affordable, high-quality fertilisers.
The President of the Fertiliser Producers and Suppliers Association of Nigeria and Director of Corporate Affairs at TGI Group, Mr Sadiq Kassim, described the Auchi facility as strategically important to Nigeria’s fertiliser industry and food security.
“The Auchi facility is of strategic importance to Nigeria’s fertiliser industry and national food security. It is the only plant in the South-South with the capability to produce tailored, crop-specific fertiliser blends suited to the region’s soil requirements,” Kassim said.
He added that the plant could produce specialised chemical blends for the North-East, where security challenges had made the establishment of fertiliser production facilities particularly difficult.
“These capabilities further highlight the importance of sustaining and strengthening local fertiliser production to meet the diverse agricultural needs of our country,” he said.
The Managing Director of WACOT Limited, Mr Naveen Chaurasia, said the renewed agreement reflected the company’s long-term commitment to agricultural development in Edo State and Nigeria.
“The renewal of this agreement is a strong statement of our long-term commitment to Edo State and to Nigeria’s agricultural transformation. Since 2017, we have demonstrated that a well-managed public-private partnership can revive moribund assets and deliver real value,” Chaurasia said.
He said WACOT and TGI Group would continue to prioritise local production, food security and farmers’ access to quality fertilisers.
Chaurasia also thanked the Edo State Government for sustaining the partnership, adding that the company intended to expand the facility’s impact on the agricultural sector.
Speaking on behalf of the state government, the Edo State Commissioner for Business, Trade and Investment, Mr Omoh Anabor, said the agreement would support the state’s industrial development and attract private investment.
“This agreement involving the Edo State Government, Edo State Fertiliser and Chemical Company Limited, and WACOT Limited represents far more than a formal transaction. It is a strategic step towards positioning Edo State as a leading destination for investment and industrial growth,” Anabor said.
He said the partnership would improve farmers’ access to agricultural inputs, strengthen food security and create jobs and business opportunities in Auchi and other parts of the state.
The company said it would continue to work with government agencies and industry stakeholders to strengthen domestic fertiliser production, support farmers and promote sustainable agricultural development across Nigeria.