Rural Land and Credit Access in Nigeria
- Author:
- Maureen Mobuogwu
- Publisher:
- Focus on Land in Africa
- Publication Date:
- 15 January 2015
- Tags:
- Nigeria, Food and Agriculture, Land and Rural Issues
Land is the most valued asset of many rural dwellers in Nigeria. Providing employment for 90 percent of the rural population, agriculture is the foundation of the rural economy. Land in rural areas, especially land held under custom, generally lacks formal documentation. This makes securing loans problematic, as banking institutions require titles for land to be eligible as collateral. This brief focuses on the status of rural land, the challenges faced by rural land holders in accessing loans large enough to make a meaningful investment as well as recent and ongoing reforms aimed at improving access to credit by rural dwellers.
