Maize is a staple food and cash crop predominantly cultivated in northern parts of Nigeria and across various agro-ecological zones with difference in growing calendar due to climate variability. During the first quarter (January–March), the northern and central Nigeria is within the dry season, entirely outside the natural rain-fed growing season. The rainy season typically begins in May or June. Therefore, cultivation during January - March is only possible under full irrigation, relying on surface water (e.g., from the Kamadugu-Yobe River, Niger River, and dams such as Tiga and Bakolori) or groundwater extraction. Though the January - March window is viable for supplementary production, it is not representative of Nigeria's main maize-growing season and is economically accessible mainly to farmers with irrigation access. 

However, from the CropWatch monitoring data; NDVI and maize phenology indicates that maize cultivation is active in some parts of Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, Yobe, Jigawa of (Northwest); Niger, Kwara, Kogi, and the Federal Capital Territory (North-Central). It detected healthy greenness and active maize growth during an otherwise dry period, which is directly attributed to irrigation. Hence this report tends to analyse the area and possible expected yield from the present growing maize in the identified area for this period. According to CropWatch monitoring data, the estimated planted area for irrigated maize is about 56,820 hectares. The forecasted yield is at 1,871.89 kg/ha, resulting in an expected total production of 106,339.7 metric tons of irrigated maize in 2026.

While this window offers advantages such as reduced pest and disease pressure, higher solar radiation, and lower humidity (which minimizes fungal infections), it is critically constrained by: limited water availability late in the dry season (February–March), and high daytime temperatures (often exceeding 35°C) that caused heat stress during the period.

Meanwhile, maize sowing already started at the major growing season for the main season and CALF is at 15% current monitoring period, 12% lower than the previous five years, and 3 percent points lower than the same period of the last year. CropWatch will provide prediction of main season maize since next Bulletin.