The Federal Government has pledged to provide funding support to youths in the South-South region to boost their access to agribusiness opportunities and improve food security.

The South-South Coordinator of the Nigerian Agribusiness and Agro-Industry Development Initiative (NAADI), Mr Howard Usen, made this known during the inauguration of the South-South Youth in Agriculture, Akwa Ibom State Chapter, held in Uyo on Friday.

Usen described the inauguration as a turning point in youth participation in agriculture across the region, stressing that many associations often struggle to attract meaningful funding due to a lack of structure and proper governance frameworks.

He explained that NAADI, in partnership with the Federation of Agricultural Communities of Nigeria, would assist the newly inaugurated body in developing covenants and operational standards that meet global best practices.

“If you don’t have structure and good covenants, most organisations will not fund you. But once these structures are in place, it becomes easier for organisations and agencies to support and invest in you. We are committed to helping this body establish these standards,” Usen stated.

According to him, NAADI will also work with relevant expos and institutions to provide training for executives of the association across all local government areas of Akwa Ibom State. He said the training would cover cooperative management, financial accountability, and the development of templates aligned with United Nations Industrial Development Organisation standards.

“With these minimum standards, accessing funding from government agencies, development partners, and international organisations will no longer be difficult,” he added.

In a goodwill message, the Head of Development Finance at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Uyo branch, Mr Obinna Inyiama, assured that the apex bank remained committed to supporting agriculture projects, especially those driven by youths.

He pointed to the Agricultural Credit Guarantee Fund Scheme as one of the key intervention programmes through which farmers can access loans of up to N1 million from Microfinance Banks. He explained that the CBN would guarantee 75 per cent of the loan value in the event of default, thereby reducing the risks for financial institutions lending to young farmers.

“The facility can last up to one year, and beneficiaries who meet repayment obligations can reapply. With just 40 per cent of the interest amount paid by CBN, even as farmers can roll over into another cycle,” Inyiama explained, while urging youths to take advantage of the opportunity.

The State Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr Offiong Offor, also commended the resilience of the Youth in Agriculture programme. She recalled that Akwa Ibom youths had consistently excelled in national competitions with record cassava yields and innovative farming practices.

Offor assured that the ministry would continue to provide improved seedlings and technical support in line with Governor Umo Eno’s ARISE Agenda on food security. She further advised the leadership of the youth body to submit requests early enough to ensure timely delivery of inputs and resources.

The event featured the formal inauguration of the Akwa Ibom State chapter executives, with Mr Sylvester Sunday emerging as chairman. He pledged to mobilise more young people across the state to embrace agriculture as a sustainable pathway to prosperity.

Stakeholders at the event noted that the inauguration signaled a new era of institutional support for South-South youths in agriculture, raising hopes for better access to credit, capacity-building initiatives, and enhanced productivity.

Agriculture remains one of Nigeria’s most critical economic drivers, employing over 35 per cent of the labour force and contributing significantly to food security and non-oil revenue.

Despite this, many young people in the South-South have continued to face barriers such as limited access to credit facilities, inadequate modern training, and lack of structured support systems required to fully explore opportunities in agribusiness.

The Nigerian Agribusiness and Agro-Industry Development Initiative was set up to help close this gap by creating institutional frameworks that strengthen youth participation in agriculture, promote financial inclusion, and attract investment into the sector.

Kano State has approved the release of N500 million as counterpart funding for the Sustainable Power and Irrigation Programme, a move aimed at boosting food security, resilience, and agricultural productivity.

The announcement was made by the Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Dr. Dannuma Mahmud, who explained that the initiative reflects the administration’s commitment to sustainable agriculture and economic growth.

Dr. Mahmud noted that Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf has demonstrated this commitment through direct actions, including the recruitment of 1,038 agricultural and agriculture-related extension workers. According to him, these steps align with the government’s vision of creating an enabling environment for both local and foreign investments while also promoting sustainable agriculture and improving the livelihoods of residents across the state.

Speaking on behalf of the Commissioner, the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Dr. Bashir Sunusi, made the announcement during a programme titled “Sensitisation Workshop on the Establishment of Multi-Stakeholders Agriculture Forum (MAF) for the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) Programme” held in Kano.

Dr. Sunusi described the SAPZ programme as a transformative approach that is designed to unlock the full potential of agriculture by promoting value addition, attracting investments, creating jobs, and strengthening linkages across the agricultural value chain.

At the same event, Dr. (Mrs.) Olubunmi Ademola Iluromi from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security praised the participants for taking a major step toward establishing the Multi-Stakeholders Agribusiness Forum (MAF).

She pointed out that the forum is a vital component of the SAPZ Programme, bringing together various stakeholders such as policymakers, private sector leaders, rural farmers, and financial institutions to drive agricultural and industrial growth.

She said, “The Multi-Stakeholder Agribusiness Forum in Kano State is a bold and visionary step that signals a new era of coordinated action. Here, government, the private sector, civil society, and development partners converge to unlock agriculture’s full potential, not just as a source of livelihood, but as a driver of industrialisation, innovation, and economic resilience.”

In his speech, the national coordinator of the SAPZ, Dr. Kabir Yusuf, said the state is at a critical turning point. “We are at a pivotal moment for Kano’s agricultural sector. For decades, our state has been recognised as a hub of commerce and agriculture, but we have yet to fully unlock its potential,” he stated.

Represented by Abel Ameh, the Rural Institutions Development Specialist for the SAPZ programme, Dr. Yusuf stressed the need for building not just infrastructure but also a new agricultural economy that is modern, inclusive, and sustainable.

Earlier, the state coordinator for SAPZ, Alhaji Aminu Ilyasu, highlighted the importance of the new forum. “This forum is the cornerstone of our strategy. It is the platform that will bring together all of us here, policymakers, investors, development partners, and most importantly, our farmers—to work as one,” he said.

He added, “The MAF will serve as our collective brain, where we can solve problems, share insights, and co-create solutions. We are committed to breaking down silos and building bridges of cooperation. We recognise that no single entity can achieve this transformation alone. It requires a unified effort from the government for policy, the private sector for investment, and our rural institutions for on-the-ground implementation.”