NIRSAL has helped unlock over N290 billion in agricultural financing between 2013 and 2025, reshaping access to credit across Nigeria’s food production, agro-processing, export, and rural development value chains.
According to performance records released by the Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending, the institution facilitated more than N290 billion in finance covering primary production, processing, logistics, market development, and exports. It said the intervention addressed long-standing financing gaps in agriculture through structured risk-sharing, insurance advocacy, incentive mechanisms, and technical assistance.
The records show that N298.49 billion in credit was facilitated through the Risk Sharing Facility during the period, with 949 guarantees issued to support 251 agribusinesses nationwide. The portfolio recorded a non-performing loan ratio of less than 0.8 percent, a performance the institution said strengthened lender confidence and encouraged banks to increase lending to agriculture.
In a statement on Sunday, NIRSAL said access to finance enabled farmers to expand production, supported agro-processors to scale operations, and improved storage, warehousing, and logistics across value chains. It noted that increased financing preserved value, reduced post-harvest losses, and supported commodity exports to regional and international markets.
Closing 2025 with its highest annual performance, the institution announced that approved credit guarantees for the year exceeded N100 billion in loans and investments in agriculture and agribusiness nationwide. It said the milestone allowed partner banks and lending institutions to finance activities that would otherwise be considered too risky for on-balance sheet exposure.
Speaking at the 2nd Edition of the MSME Finance & CEO Awards held in Lagos State, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of NIRSAL, Sa’ad Hamidu, said the performance reflects the impact of deliberate risk management structures. He said the recognition received by the institution “speaks to the power of structured risk-sharing models, strong partnerships with financial institutions, and the resilience of Nigeria’s agribusiness entrepreneurs.”
Hamidu, who was represented by Akinola Baiyewu, NIRSAL’s Regional Head, South, Business Development Group, explained that NIRSAL operates strictly as a facilitator rather than a lending institution. He said while substantial financial capital exists within the system, inherent risks along agricultural value chains often discourage banks from lending.
According to him, the N100 billion milestone recorded in 2025 represents a clear shift in bank behaviour from caution to stronger confidence, driven by NIRSAL’s credit risk guarantees and risk management frameworks that assure lenders of viable portfolio performance. He said financial institutions are increasingly relying on NIRSAL’s tools to grow agricultural portfolios, optimise capital deployment, and pursue both commercial and development outcomes.
The institution also said its partnerships with commercial banks and other lenders supported commodity exports, agro-processing, input supply, primary production, storage, warehousing, and logistics. Through technical assistance programmes, field monitoring, and project mapping protocols, NIRSAL said it continues to unlock financing opportunities that support food security, export growth, and rural economic development across Nigeria.
