The National Agriculture Development Fund (NADF) and the Jigawa State government have jointly launched an initiative to develop the first-ever sub-national agricultural lending de-risking framework in the country.
The initiative aims to unlock private sector financing, boost smallholder access to credit, and drive food self-sufficiency, according to a statement from NADF.
The "Jigawa State Agricultural Lending De-Risking Model" marks a critical step toward improving access to finance for smallholder farmers and agribusinesses through innovative, state-led financial risk management mechanisms.
The Executive Secretary of NADF, Mohammed Ibrahim, said the initiative represents a bold, practical approach to overcoming long-standing barriers that have constrained agricultural lending in Nigeria.
"Persistent barriers to access to finance for smallholder farmers and agribusinesses cannot be overemphasized. If state-led mechanisms like this are put in place, those barriers can be easily surmounted. National-level financing bodies like ours have done well, but a bottom-up approach led by state governments, tailored to their peculiarities, will have greater impact," Ibrahim stated.
The Director General of the Jigawa Agricultural Transformation Agency (JATA), Dr. Saifullahi Umar, reaffirmed the state's commitment to driving agricultural transformation through innovation, private sector inclusion, and strategic partnerships.
