The Global Programme on Agricultural Finance for Agri-based Enterprises in Rural Areas has held its Northwest close-out in Kano, highlighting improved access to financing for over 88,000 farmers and agribusinesses.
The programme, funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and implemented by the German International Cooperation, is expected to conclude operations in Nigeria by October 2026 after eight years of implementation.
At the event, the cluster coordinator, Rural Development and Agriculture at GIZ Nigeria and ECOWAS, Dr Andrea Ruediger, said the initiative had improved access to finance for smallholder farmers and agribusinesses across participating states.
She noted that the Kano event was the first in a series of regional close-out engagements to be held in the North-Central and South-West zones, ahead of a final close-out in Abuja scheduled for August 2026.
Ruediger explained that since its inception in 2018, the programme has bridged the gap between agricultural actors and financial institutions by promoting demand-driven financial solutions across key value chains, including maize, rice, cassava and Irish potato.
According to her, the project partnered with 11 financial institutions to develop 22 tailored financial products aligned with agricultural production cycles, thereby helping unlock private-sector investment in agriculture.
“We have seen financial institutions move from cautious engagement to active integration, developing products that reflect how agriculture actually works,” she said.
She added that the financing facilitated under the programme was market-driven, demonstrating that agricultural finance can be commercially viable when structured around the realities of farmers and value chains.
The programme also provided financial literacy and business management training to farmers and agribusinesses, while strengthening linkages with financial institutions to improve access to credit and other services.
In his remarks, the Kano State Commissioner for Livestock Development, Dr Aliyu Isah, represented by Dr Abubakar Sani, said the state recorded gains in productivity, value addition and farmer empowerment through the initiative.
Similarly, the Special Adviser to the Katsina State Governor on Banking and Finance, Bilkisu Sulaiman, said the programme improved livelihoods by expanding access to finance and strengthening financial systems.
With an investment of €8.55m, the project mobilised over €42m in private capital, supporting efforts to boost rural livelihoods and economic growth across participating states.
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