Overall market risk: In November, fertilizer markets across West Africa showed varied trends, with demand generally slowing as the rainy season ended and many crops reached harvest stages. However, certain sectors, such as off-season vegetable farming and irrigated crops, maintained some activity, keeping fertilizer demand stable in specific regions. Fertilizer availability remained strong in most areas, with ample stocks to meet both seasonal and off-season needs. Prices for commonly used fertilizers like Urea and NPK remained relatively stable, with some regions benefiting from government subsidies to help offset costs for smallholder farmers.
Despite these positive trends, challenges persist in several areas, including high transportation costs and limited accessibility, particularly for smallholder farmers. In countries heavily reliant on imports, such as those with poor infrastructure or high exchange rate fluctuations, fertilizer prices continue to pose a significant burden. Moreover, the ongoing global supply chain disruptions, exacerbated by the Russia-Ukraine conflict, have increased prices in some regions, threatening agricultural productivity. To mitigate these challenges, governments and agricultural development programs continue to provide support, including fertilizer subsidies and improved seed varieties, although the supply of subsidized fertilizers often remains insufficient to meet the full demand of smallholder farmers. As the dry season progresses, continued support and effective distribution strategies will be essential to maintain stability in the fertilizer market and ensure food security across the region.
Côte d’Ivoire: In November, the fertilizer market remained slow due to the end of the main agricultural season, with most crops in the harvest phase with limited fertilizer demand. Only year-round market gardening and irrigated crops maintained some activity, resulting in low traffic at fertilizer stores. On the supply side, the market remains well-stocked, with fertilizer imports reaching approximately 500,000 MT this year—well above the annual demand of 350,000 MT. Major importers continue to maintain sufficient stocks across all types of fertilizers and crops, strategically positioning supplies to meet off-season needs and fulfill cotton fertilizer orders, including 30,720 MT of urea and 102,000 MT of NPK 15-15-15+6S+1B. Meanwhile, the ongoing cocoa marketing campaign offers farmers a purchase price of CFA 1,800/kg, a 20% increase over the April intermediate harvest, enabling them to invest in fertilizers for upcoming seasons. The return of rains further supports fertilizer application. On the open market, prices remained stable between October and November: a 50 kg bag of Urea averages CFA 21,000 ($35), NPK 0-23-19 costs CFA 19,500 ($33), and NPK 15-15-15 is priced at CFA 22,000 ($37). Cotton fertilizer prices also stayed unchanged from last year, with urea at CFA 17,050 ($28) and NPK 15-15-15+6S+1B at CFA 18,100 ($30) per 50 kg bag.
Gambia: November marks the end of the rainy season and the conclusion of cereal cultivation, except for rice, signaling the start of the horticultural cropping season. Farmers are preparing nurseries across the country, with large-scale commercial farmers leading the sector. Many smallholder farmers use manure, such as groundnut shells, cow dung, compost, and bird droppings, which they collect at little to no cost, though transportation remains a major expense. There were no fertilizer imports recorded in November, but existing stocks are sufficient to meet the needs of commercial and dry-season rice farmers. Fertilizer prices remain subsidized at D1,100 per 50 kg bag (CFA 10,000). The government, along with agricultural development projects like ROOTS, P2RS, GRAV, and GICAF, continues to support dry-season rice farmers with improved seeds and fertilizers, particularly in key rice-growing regions such as the North Bank and South Bank of the Central River Region and the Upper River Region. The price of fertilizer remains stable at D1,100 per 50 kg bag for both Urea and NPK, with strict regulations to prevent the sale of subsidized fertilizer outside the country.
Ghana: Fertilizer prices in Ghana remained stable between October and November 2024, reflecting a balanced demand-and-supply dynamic in the market. Key products such as Ammonium Sulphate, Urea, and NPK 23-10-5 maintained their prices, with Ammonium Sulphate selling at GHS 288.00 ($18.57) per 50kg bag, Urea at GHS 422.69 ($27.26), and NPK 23-10-5 at GHS 524.55 ($33.83), all showing no price variation. Fertilizer availability is secure, supported by free distribution under the World Bank-funded aggregator system. Additionally, the Ghanaian government is supplying seeds and fertilizers to smallholder and commercial farmers to address drought-related grain losses, aiming to produce 360,000 MT of paddy rice and 770,000 metric tons of maize within 120 days, ensuring food system restoration.
Liberia: As of November, Liberia is entering the dry season, leading to a natural slowdown in farming activities and a reduced demand for fertilizers. However, agro-dealers face challenges due to high fertilizer costs, primarily driven by additional charges at the Freeport of Monrovia and Buchanan seaport, which are passed on to farmers. Many rural farmers are turning to border suppliers near Guinea and Ivory Coast to bypass these central dealers and avoid high transportation costs, exacerbated by poor road conditions. Although road repairs are underway to improve infrastructure and distribution, fertilizer affordability remains a major issue. Despite a slight 3% drop in prices this month, fertilizers are still costly compared to neighboring countries, with prices ranging from $43.65 to $48.50 per 50kg bag of NPK 15-15-15 and Urea. Most transactions are still in U.S. dollars, limiting accessibility for farmers who rely on the Liberian dollar. Although the exchange rate has improved slightly, it has not significantly impacted fertilizer prices, leaving many smallholder farmers struggling with high costs and limited access.
Nigeria: Nigeria has entered the off-farming season, marked by the dry season across regions, leading to reduced demand for fertilizers and a slowdown in NPK fertilizer blending as most plants halt activities. Agrodealers have largely maintained stable prices for NPK fertilizers, with slight price drops in some areas due to minimal demand, while Urea prices have risen marginally due to an increase in ex-factory prices from ₦31,000 to ₦33,000. In November, average retail prices of Urea increased by 0.8% to ₦703,460 ($417) per MT, while NPK 15-15-15 prices fell slightly by 0.02% to ₦938,240 ($556) per MT, and NPK 20-10-10 prices remained steady at ₦818,140 ($484) per MT. Despite these shifts, Nigeria has sufficient fertilizers from wet season blending to meet dry-season farming needs, with potential demand increases anticipated in the Northern region as preparations for dry-season farming begin. These November price trends reflect a higher exchange rate of ₦1,688 per $1, up from ₦1,665 in October 2024.
Senegal: In November, as the farming season concluded and some farmers began preparing for dry-season cultivation, optimism grew about accessing subsidized fertilizers. However, the subsidy program continues to face significant challenges, particularly for smallholder farmers. In many regions, the supply of subsidized fertilizers remains inadequate, covering less than 30% of actual needs and limiting its impact on improving productivity. On the open market, fertilizer prices showed mixed trends. A 50 kg bag of Urea remained relatively stable at CFA 18,000 (US$28.80), a slight 2.88% increase from CFA 18,333 (US$35.55) the previous month. NPK 6-20-10 saw a sharp rise of 38.33%, reaching CFA 16,666 (US$26.67) from CFA 12,050 (US$19.28), while NPK 20-20-20 held steady at CFA 45,000 (US$73.48). Other inputs saw price drops: magnesium sulphates decreased by 12.5% to CFA 8,750 (US$14.00) from CFA 10,500 (US$17.85), and sulphate of potash fell by 2.98% to CFA 20,375 (US$32.60) from CFA 21,000 (US$35.70). Zinc sulphate prices, however, remained unchanged at CFA 60,000.
Sierra Leone: Sierra Leone’s fertilizer market is highly dependent on imports, making it vulnerable to global disruptions such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the Ukraine-Russia conflict, which have driven up prices and strained supply chains. As of November 2024, fertilizer prices remain stable but high, primarily influenced by import costs rather than seasonal demand. The depreciation of the leone and persistent inflation continue to increase procurement and transportation costs, making fertilizers unaffordable for many smallholder farmers despite a 9% drop in fuel prices. Prices for common fertilizers such as NPK 15:15:15 and Urea vary across regions, with costs ranging from NLe 1,000 ($44) to NLe 1,750 ($78) per 50kg bag, while distribution remains generally accessible. However, these affordability challenges, compounded by limited domestic production capacity and inefficiencies in the supply chain, threaten agricultural productivity and food security in a farming-reliant nation.
Togo: In November 2024, fertilizer demand dropped sharply in the north due to the harvest season, while in the south, vegetable crops and off-season production drove a recovery in demand. This increased demand poses no supply concerns, with 67,785 MT of fertilizer—63,093 MT of Urea and 4,692 MT of NPK 15-15-15—readily available in warehouses, more than sufficient to meet farmers’ off-season needs. The supply is further bolstered by 135,355 MT of fertilizer mobilized through the subsidy program, exceeding the initial target of 85,000 MT. This includes 83,595 MT of Urea and 51,760 MT of NPK 15-15-15. Subsidized fertilizer prices remain unchanged for the past two years, at CFA 18,000 ($30) per 50 kg bag for food crops and CFA 14,000 ($23) per 50 kg bag for cotton fertilizers, including Urea and NPK 12-20-18+5S+1B.
Availability and Affordability: The dry season begins across West Africa, and fertilizer demand is still decreasing, resulting in moderate price stability in many areas. Fertilizer availability remains manageable, with adequate supplies for current needs, though some countries are seeing slight price reductions due to declining demand. However, affordability remains a critical concern throughout the region as local currency fluctuations and inflationary pressures keep fertilizer prices elevated. While government subsidies and imports have helped stabilize prices in some areas, high transport costs and continued dependency on imports limit broader affordability, especially for smallholder farmers.
Distribution: In November, fertilizer importation and logistics across West Africa ran smoothly, with few disruptions and minimal border restrictions. Large quantities of fertilizer were successfully transported through major entry points and distributed to markets. In Nigeria, logistical operations were mostly efficient, though the Northeast region experienced transportation challenges due to ongoing security concerns, which affected supply chains there. The National Port Authority across the region played a crucial role in ensuring efficient logistics and expediting clearance for fertilizer imports, as long as proper documentation was provided. Overall, strong coordination between logistics providers and regulatory authorities helped maintain a steady flow of fertilizers, supporting agricultural activities as the harvest season continued.