TINUBU URGES AGRICULTURAL STAKEHOLDERS TO SEE FINANCE AS A CATALYST FOR TRANSFORMATION
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Idi Mukhtar Maiha |
"Transforming Africa’s agricultural sector requires reimagining how capital flows into agriculture, how risks are shared, and how finance mechanisms are structured." President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR.
Nigeria's President, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Wednesday in Abuja the nation's capital called on stakeholders in the agricultural sector to rethink the role of finance, urging them to transform capital from a barrier into a catalyst for sustainable agricultural growth.
The President made this call during his keynote address at the African Agricultural Dialogue (AAD) 2025, held in Abuja on Wednesday, October 8, 2025.
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Idris Ajimobi |
Represented by his Senior Special Assistant on Livestock Development, Idris Ajimobi, President Tinubu emphasized that transforming Africa’s agricultural sector requires reimagining how capital flows into agriculture, how risks are shared, and how finance mechanisms are structured.
He said that through collaboration, stakeholders can unlock finance, empower farmers, and ensure that no community is left behind.
“Let us leave Abuja with a clear roadmap for mobilising and managing agricultural finance; firm commitments to strengthen blended finance, insurance, and credit systems; and a renewed determination to make agriculture and livestock truly bankable sectors,” the President stated.
“This Dialogue must not end in conversation, it must lead to commitments, capital, and concrete outcomes.”
Also speaking at the event, the Honourable Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, stated that Nigeria is rewriting the story of agriculture by placing food security at the heart of national development.
He noted that the recent reforms are laying a strong foundation for an agribusiness-led transformation, which aligns with the core theme of the dialogue.
According to him, the declaration of a state of emergency on agriculture and food security was not a ceremonial gesture, but a decisive call to action. It marked the beginning of a transformation that prioritizes production, investment, and inclusion.
“In alignment with this vision, the government established the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development, a bold step to unlock the full potential of Nigeria’s livestock economy, promote peaceful coexistence between farmers and herders, and harness livestock’s contribution to GDP, employment, and nutritional security,” the Minister said.
“Complementing this effort is the recapitalization of the Bank of Agriculture, aimed at strengthening the financial backbone of rural enterprises and empowering agri-preneurs across various value chains.”
Minister Maiha also highlighted key constraints to livestock sector development, including financing gaps, weak infrastructure, and fragmented markets.
“This is why platforms like AAD are indispensable. They help forge partnerships that de-risk agricultural lending, attract blended finance, and promote sustainable investments across livestock and allied value chains,” he added.
In his remarks, the Managing Director/CEO of the Nigeria Agricultural Insurance Corporation (NAIC), Hon. Yazid Shehu Umar Danfulani, reaffirmed NAIC’s commitment to acting as a catalyst for agricultural financing by bridging the gap between policy, productivity, risk management, and investment.
This is contained in a statement signed by Ben Bem Goong, Director, Information and Public Relations Federal Ministry of Livestock Development Ministry Abuja.
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