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The Federal Government, in collaboration with the Niger State Government, has announced plans to provide N300,000 interest-free loans to 600 small-scale farmers in the state, representing a potential disbursement of N180 million.
The initiative is being implemented through the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP), under the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA), to improve agricultural productivity and support smallholder farmers.
The National Programme Manager of GEEP, Hamza Baba, disclosed this on Saturday in Minna during the commencement of the FarmerMoni enumeration exercise and training of GEEP desk officers drawn from the state’s 25 local government areas.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Baba explained that the loans would enable farmers to purchase agricultural inputs, expand production and improve their livelihoods.
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Baba said each eligible farmer would receive N300,000, repayable within one year, with repayment expected to begin six months after the commencement of farming activities.
He explained that the intervention would cover farmers involved in crop cultivation, poultry, livestock, fisheries and aquaculture.
The programme will also involve the identification, registration and verification of beneficiaries to ensure that the funds reach active farmers.
Key requirements for the enumeration exercise include:
- Digital photographs and biometric information.
- National Identification Numbers (NIN).
- Verified farm locations and details of agricultural activities.
- Registration through designated GEEP desk officers.
Baba added that the agency would collaborate with the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), the Agricultural Development Programme (ADP) and local government officials to monitor loan utilisation and repayment.
Niger State Introduces Farmer Verification Measures
The Niger State Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Ibrahim Inga, described the initiative as part of efforts to complement existing poverty reduction programmes in the state.
He said the involvement of relevant stakeholders would strengthen transparency and ensure that only genuine farmers benefited from the intervention.
Similarly, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Social Investment Programme, Hauwa Mohammed, said desk officers had been equipped with tablets to capture farmers’ details and farmland locations.
She explained that the digital registration process would help prevent fictitious beneficiaries from accessing the loans.
FG Expands Agricultural Financing Programmes
The FarmerMoni initiative is part of the Federal Government’s broader efforts to expand agricultural financing and improve access to credit for small-scale producers.
In March 2026, Nairametrics reported that the Federal Government approved a N250 billion facility for the Bank of Agriculture to provide smallholder farmers with loans at single-digit interest rates.
In September, the Nigeria Commodity Exchange and Bank of Agriculture launched a price guarantee scheme targeting 500,000 farmers in its first phase, with plans to expand to two million beneficiaries.
Earlier, the Federal Government and BOA introduced an agricultural financing programme aimed at increasing annual grain production from approximately 11 million tonnes to 25 million tonnes.
The Niger State intervention differs from these broader financing programmes by offering interest-free loans directly to a targeted group of 600 farmers.
