Over 72,000 smallholder farmers and 16,000 agribusiness owners across Nigeria have accessed more than ₦49.8 billion in financing under the Global Programme on Agricultural Finance for Agri-based Enterprises in Rural Areas (GP AgFin), a German Government-funded initiative implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ).
The eight-year programme focused on expanding access to finance within the agricultural sector by equipping farmers and agribusinesses with financial literacy tools, while also strengthening the capacity of financial institutions to better understand and serve agricultural value chains.
Speaking at the project’s close-out event in Kano, the Cluster Coordinator for Transformation of Agric Food Systems (TAFS) at GIZ, Dr Andrea Ruediger, said the programme delivered measurable impact across Kano, Kaduna, and Kebbi states. She noted that the initiative collaborated with 11 financial institutions to design tailored financial products targeting key value chains, including maize and potato production.
“These products were structured to reflect the realities of farmers and agribusiness operators, particularly through input credit schemes that align with seasonal cycles and operational needs,” she said.
Dr Ruediger emphasised that one of the programme’s most significant achievements was addressing the long-standing financing gap in Nigeria’s agricultural sector. She clarified that the funding provided under AGFIN was entirely market-driven, with no reliance on grants or concessional financing.
According to her, several beneficiaries have scaled beyond subsistence operations into structured enterprises employing dozens of workers, demonstrating the programme’s long-term economic value.
She added that although the AGFIN project is concluding, similar interventions will continue in other parts of the country, including Cross River, Oyo, and Ondo states.
Also speaking, Kano State Commissioner for Livestock Development, Dr Aliyu Isah, represented by Dr Abubakar Sani, said the state recorded notable gains through improved value addition and farmer empowerment.
In Katsina, Special Adviser to the Governor on Banking and Finance, Bilkisu Sulaiman, stated that the initiative strengthened both livelihoods and financial systems by improving access to credit for agricultural expansion.
Other contributors included Professor Abubakar Usman of the National Agricultural Extension and Research Liaison Services (NAERLS) at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and Dr Abiodun Ezekiel of the Federal College of Agricultural Produce Technology.
The AGFIN programme aligns with broader efforts to deepen agricultural financing, support rural economies, and drive sustainable growth within Nigeria’s agribusiness landscape.
