AMAC Farmers Demand Answers Over N1bn 2026 Agriculture Budget As Cropping Season Begins
*Fresh concerns are mounting in Abuja* over the implementation of the *Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC)* 2026 Agriculture and Natural Resources budget, with farmers questioning if key interventions will reach them.
With the 2026 cropping season already underway, farming communities in *Orozo, Karshi, Jiwa and Kabusa* are asking when inputs will be delivered and who the verified beneficiaries are.
The 2026 budget proposal earmarked *N250 million* for the procurement of *six trucks of NPK and Urea fertilisers* for distribution to AMAC farmers at a subsidized rate of *N35,000 per bag*.
*”Where Is The Fertiliser?”*
The fertiliser provision has become the most contentious line item because of its direct impact on smallholder farmers.
Agricultural associations are demanding that the council publish *procurement details, contract winners, delivery records, beneficiary registers and ward-by-ward distribution schedules*.
_“We heard about the N250 million on the news and in the budget reading, but not a single bag of Urea or NPK has landed in our ward. We are buying inputs at crippling market rates while the council’s subsidized N35,000 bags remain invisible. Where is the fertiliser stored, who won the contract, and when will distribution begin?”_
— *Representative, Orozo Farmers’ Cooperative Society*
_“In August 2024, the Chairman flagged off the distribution of fertiliser donated by the CBN across the 12 wards. With a massive N250 million council budget line in 2026, we expect real scale, not bureaucratic silence. Hon. Maikalangu promised us democratic dividends—we need to see those promises in our fields.”_
— *Leader, Jiwa Smallholder Farmers’ Association*
_“It’s not just the fertiliser. What happened to the N80 million allocated for land acquisition in Waru/Karshi, or the N60 million for knapsack sprayers and irrigation? We are demanding that AMAC publish the full beneficiary lists and delivery records immediately.”_
— *Spokesperson, FCT Coalition of Agricultural Non-State Actors*
*N1bn Agriculture Budget Under Scrutiny*
Beyond fertiliser, groups are demanding status reports on other line items in the 2026 proposal:
**Budget Line Item** **Proposed Allocation**
4 Mahindra 6005 75HP Tractor Heads N280,000,000
6 Trucks of NPK & Urea Fertilisers N250,000,000
10 Hectares Farmland Acquisition (Waru/Karshi) N80,000,000
Knapsack Sprayers Distribution N60,000,000
8 Trucks of Grains N60,000,000
Irrigation Materials & Farm Drainage N60,000,000
Agro-Chemicals, Improved Seeds & Seedlings N55,000,000
AMAC Fish Hatchery Establishment N50,000,000
AMAC Commercial Fish Farm Establishment N50,000,000
Women-in-Agriculture Empowerment & Skills N30,000,000
The questions have gained weight following the *re-election of Executive Chairman Hon. Christopher Zakka Maikalangu* in early 2026, during which he pledged to continue delivering “dividends of democracy” to residents.
*Allocation Vs Disbursement*
Public finance observers note that a budget provision does not mean funds have been released or spent. Verifying any claim of diversion would require *treasury release vouchers, contract award letters, payment records or audit findings*.
What is confirmed is that these items represent approved proposed expenditure.
With the season underway, the onus is now on the AMAC administration to publish an *implementation scorecard* detailing what has been funded, procured, and when farmers will receive their allocations.
