Top soil removal from farmlands may cause decline in soil and crop productivity. The extent to which NPK mineral fertilizer and organic residues may alleviate this negative effect on maize performance and soil chemical properties was determined at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Oyo State, Nigeria between March and August, 2020 for two dominant soil series in south western Nigeria (Itagunmodi (Rhodic Paleustult) and Majeroku (Abruptic Tropaqualf). NPK fertilizer, poultry manure (PM) and tithonia compost (TC) and no amendment (for comparison) were applied to soils collected from (0 – 5, 6 – 10, and 11 –15 cm soil depths). Pre planting and post-harvest soil chemical analyses were conducted. Height, weights of dry grain of maize plants were recorded. Itagunmodi soil was inherently more acidic than Majeroku soil at all the soil depths. Soil organic carbon and nitrogen were low and declined with depth in both soils. In Itagunmodi soil, removal of 5 and 10 cm top soil respectively without soil amendment caused 63.9% and 87.5% reduction in maize grain weight. Similarly, the corresponding grain weight reductions in Majeroku soil were 27.8% and 100%. In Itagunmodi soil, NPK fertilizer reduced the negative effect of top soil removal to 26.4% and 48.6% respectively compared to TC which improved maize grain weight by 289% and 119%. In Majeroku soil, NPK reduced grain weight by 43.1% and 1.4% compared with TC which improved it by 402% and 213.9% respectively. Top soil removal reduced post-harvest soil organic carbon content. The organic residues were superior in improving soil pH and organic carbon than NPK and the control. Top soil removal had no significant effect on post-harvest soil available P. Tithonia compost improved available P (11.32 mg/kg) and (16.92 mg/kg) in Itagunmodi and Majeroku soils than 1.51 mg/kg and 2.82 mg/kg observed for NPK in both soils. In conclusion, the soil series differed in their effects on maize performance. Surface soil removal had adverse effect on maize performance and soil chemical characteristics. The organic residues (PM and TC) were superior to NPK fertilizer in mitigating the effects of top soil removal on the maize performance and soil properties.