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USAID and OCP Forge Partnership to Revolutionize African Agriculture
In a landmark move for African agricultural advancement, USAID and OCP Group, the world leader in plant nutrition solutions and phosphate-based fertilizers, have partnered to tackle critical barriers hindering Africa’s agricultural potential.
During a visit to University Mohammed VI Polytechnic, Ms. Samantha Power – USAID Administrator – signed a collaborative agreement to pursue two sustainable and innovative initiatives designed to enhance agricultural efficiency and productivity across the continent:
• The Space to Place Project will gather accurate local soil and climate data which will provide the basis for a “Decision Support Tool” to guide farmers on the optimal use of fertilizers. These fertilizers will be customized to precisely meet the nutrient requirements of their land and crops, to simultaneously improve soil health and boost productivity sustainably.
• The Rock Phosphate Amendment Project will evaluate the impact on crop yields and soil fertility of the application of phosphate rock and innovative nutrient formulas based on it. This Project will develop a “Phosphate Rock Decisions Support System” to help farmers identify the soils and crops that will most benefit from this approach.
The agreement, set to span at least four years, includes plans to engage other stakeholders and partners to take forward these groundbreaking initiatives and to encourage the adoption of the new tools by farmers across the continent.
During her visit, Ms. Power observed ongoing research at the University and engaged with local cooperative representatives, gaining insights into their experiences and the transformative potential of these projects. She commented: “OCP Group is an important partner as we grapple with a very significant global food crisis. The agreement will use geospatial technology to provide farmers on the ground with recommendations on how to more efficiently use fertilizers. It harnesses data to provide real world predictions and solutions to improve yields.”
Mr. Mostafa Terrab, Chairman and CEO of OCP Group, said: “At OCP Group, we are delighted to deepen our partnership with USAID, collaborating closely on these cuttingedge projects to help unleash the potential of African farmers to feed not only Africa but the world, in ways that aim to enhance soil health, the environment and the climate.”
The collaboration announced consists of joining forces between USAID’s Space to Place initiative and OCP Africa’s integrated Soil Health and Customization approach to benefit millions of African farmers and enhance the continent’s food security. In this regard, OCP Group, through OCP Africa, will invest $30 million to support efficient fertilizer use across sub-Saharan Africa, complementing USAID’s $40 million investment to expand Space to Place, announced at the Africa Fertilizer and Soil Health Summit in Nairobi on May 7. This brings the total investment envelope to $100 million for this initiative, which directly supports the continental Action Plan that was adopted by the Nairobi Summit.
This establishes a basis for extended dialogue and cooperation between these two major contributors to African agricultural development, enhancing the impact and efficiency of their work to deliver measurable development outcomes across Africa.
About USAID
USAID is an independent Federal Government Agency responsible for administering civilian foreign aid and development assistance, with its main offices located at 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20523, United States of America. On behalf of the American people, USAID promotes and demonstrates democratic values abroad and advances a free, peaceful, and prosperous world. In support of America’s foreign policy, USAID leads the U.S. government’s international development and disaster assistance through partnerships and investments that save lives, reduce poverty, strengthen democratic governance, and help people emerge from humanitarian crises and progress beyond assistance. USAID finances development activities in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, the Caribbean, Europe, and Eurasia. USAID leads Feed the Future, the United States government’s initiative to address global hunger, bringing partners together to address the root causes of hunger and poverty by boosting agriculture- led growth, resilience and nutrition in countries with great need and opportunity for development. Working in countries that are committed to improving their own food security and nutrition around the world, including in Sub-Saharan Africa, Feed the Future helps partner countries: improve agricultural production and markets and create new opportunities; strengthen the resilience of communities to shocks; reduce hunger and improve nutrition, especially among mothers and children; and increase the exchange of ideas, technologies and products that benefit citizens at home and communities abroad.
For more information: www.usaid.gov
About OCP Group
OCP Group helps feed a growing global population by providing it with the essential elements for soil fertility and plant growth. With over a century of expertise and a turnover of more than USD 9 billion in 2023, OCP is the world leader in plant nutrition solutions and phosphate-based fertilizers. Headquartered in Morocco and present on five continents, OCP has approximately 20,000 employees and works closely with over 350 customers around the world. OCP recently launched a green investment strategy, dedicated to increasing fertilizer production and investing in renewable energy. The strategy foresees an overall investment of approximately USD 13 billion over the period 2023-2027, which will enable the Group to use 100% non-conventional water in 2024 (to ensure its complete autonomy, including a water desalination capacity of 560 million m3 per year by 2026), 100% clean energy by 2027 and to achieve full carbon neutrality by 2040 (Scopes 1 and 2 by 2030, and Scope 3 by 2040), while increasing the production of green fertilizers. The Group is firmly convinced that leadership and profitability are synonymous with social responsibility and sustainable development. Its strategic vision sits at the junction of these two dimensions.
Boko Haram terrorists are holding authorities in some communities in three local government areas of Borno State, according to Senator Ali Ndume.
The Borno South lawmaker said this on Friday when he was featured on Channels Television’s Politics Today.
According to him, there are no civil authorities in those areas, which he said are being governed by the terrorists.
“Yes, three,” he said on Friday’s edition of the show when asked if areas are being governed by the Boko Haram terrorists in the North-East state.
“What we are saying is that there is no civil authority there, and the authority is Boko Haram,” the Borno South Senator said.
He listed the areas as “Gudumbali (in Guzamala LGA), Marte, and Abadam”.
“None,” he said when asked if there are civil authority in these areas.
Senator Ndume said the security agencies are not properly equipped to tackle the insurgency, which he decried is beginning to fester in the North-East state.
His comment came days after the Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, decried the rising spate of insecurity in the area.
The governor said the state is losing ground in the fight against Boko Haram, asking for help.
“As I address this important gathering today, it is unfortunate that the renewed Boko Haram attacks and kidnappings in many communities almost on a daily basis without confrontation signalled that Borno State is losing ground,” the governor said, a fact Ndume agrees with.
During the show, the vocal lawmaker of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) said there have been hundreds of attacks in Borno State since the beginning of the year.
“From November last year till date, there were over 250 attacks in the state, and somebody is saying we should ignore the governor,” the APC chieftain said.
“We have lost more than 100 soldiers, nearly 300 civilians even though our soldiers gallantly killed 800 of those terrorists within this period.”
“It is like a stagnated situation,” he said about the state of security in the country, arguing that President Bola Tinubu should declare a state of emergency on security, the welfare of the citizens, and the economy.
….He remains adorable figures in the north
Senator Ali Ndume has asked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to be worried if ex-President Muhamamdu Buhari is not on his side.
Speaking during an interview on Channels TV’s Politics Today, the lawmaker said although Buhari has just one vote, he remains an adorable figure in Northern Nigeria.
Ndume spoke after former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar led key opposition figures to Buhari’s residence in Kaduna, on Friday.
The senator said he was also planning a visit to Buhari.
He said, “Buhari’s followership has diminished naturally because it is different when you are not in power and after spending like eight years in power. Of course his popularity, everything has diminished, it is natural, but you can’t write him off especially with the Northern masses. The followership of Buhari has been occultic. You cannot explain it.
“If Buhari is coming here now, you will see people rushing to see. Everybody including those in the vegetable market will rush here. Buhari is still with the Talakawas
“Tinubu should be worried if Buhari is not on his side. Every number counts and Buhari has one vote. Tinubu should also be worried about my position. Because I have one vote for him. He does not have a vote for me.”
Elanza News learnt that there were concerns over the potential exit of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) bloc from the APC.
This was amplified following a recent meeting between former Buhari and APC governors.
The visit, which took place on Monday in Kaduna, was initially perceived as a routine courtesy call but has since sparked speculation about its deeper purpose.
It was gathered that the governors reportedly sought Buhari’s intervention to halt defections from the party, particularly by key members of the CPC bloc.
The governors’ appeal reportedly arose from growing concerns about potential defections ahead of the 2027 general elections. The defunct CPC, a key bloc within APC, remains highly influential, with Buhari regarded as its central figure.
There are fears within APC that the exit of this bloc could spell disaster for the party on a national scale.
The Monday meeting took place amid a wave of defections by Buhari’s allies from APC to SDP. Former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai was the first to publicly announce his departure, claiming he had secured Buhari’s blessing before leaving the party.
Several former ministers who served in Buhari’s cabinet are also reportedly finalising plans to join the SDP, and in Buhari’s home state of Katsina, numerous APC members have already defected to the SDP.
The CPC, founded in 2009, merged in February 2013 with the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), a faction of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), and the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) to form what is now known as the APC.
Elanza News gathered that the governors feared Buhari’s enduring cult-like followership in the North could become a major liability for APC if he backs his CPC associates. His bloc vote, they feared, could be catastrophic for the party in 2027.
It was gathered that the governors specifically urged Buhari to dissuade his CPC associates from leaving APC. However, the former president reportedly declined to make any such commitment.
While reaffirming his loyalty to APC, he insisted that others must be allowed to make their own political choices—a principle he said he has upheld throughout his political career.
Meanwhile, Buhari has said he remains a committed member of the ruling APC.
In a statement by Garba Shehu, his spokesman, Buhari was quoted to have said after Wl-Rufai’s defection, he would never turn his back on the APCy that gave him the platform to become Nigeria’s number one citizen.
The federal government has constituted a sub-committee to evaluate the potential economic impact of the recent tariff measures announced by the United States government.
The decision followed a meeting of the Economic Management Team (EMT), chaired by Wale Edun, minister of finance and coordinating minister of the economy, according to a statement issued on Friday by Mohammed Manga, director of information and public relations at the ministry.
On April 2, US President Donald Trump announced sweeping global tariffs on all imports into the country, including Nigeria.
A few days later, Edun said Nigeria is well-positioned to withstand global trade disruptions, including the United States import tariffs.
He said plans were underway for possible budget adjustment and prioritisation where possible.
To assess the impact of the tariffs, Manga said the EMT convened earlier in the week with key ministries and agencies to review the fiscal and macroeconomic implications of emerging global trade dynamics.
He said the EMT noted that while Nigeria’s major export — crude oil — has not been directly targeted by the new US tariffs, the policy shift has coincided with a dip in international oil prices, raising concern over potential revenue and budgetary pressures.
“To support evidence-based policymaking, the EMT has established a sub-committee tasked with conducting a detailed review of the direct and indirect economic impacts of both the emerging tariff measures and the global commodity price shifts,” Manga said.
“The sub-committee includes representatives from the ministry of finance, ministry of budget and economic planning, (including budget office of the Federation), and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).”
Manga also said the sub-committee has already held its inaugural meeting and is expected to present its findings to the full EMT without delay.