The Niger State Government has announced plans to set aside N2 billion as seed capital for the establishment of a State Cooperative Bank for Agriculture, an initiative aimed at easing access to affordable loans for farmers.
Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago disclosed this in Minna while flagging off the free distribution of agricultural inputs to smallholder farmers’ associations. In a statement released by his Chief Press Secretary, Bologi Ibrahim, the governor explained that the bank will serve as a microfinance institution designed specifically to provide soft loans to agricultural cooperatives.
The initiative, according to him, will reduce the dependence of farmers on commercial banks, which often impose high interest rates and lengthy loan processes that limit access to credit for smallholders. He added that the state government will encourage agricultural cooperatives to open accounts with the new bank once operations begin, noting that the goal is to boost farmers’ capacity to engage in year-round production.
The cooperative bank forms part of what the governor describes as his administration’s agricultural revolution policy, which is anchored on job creation, improved yields, and raising the financial status of residents through farming. He stressed that stakeholders from both the federal government and the private sector will be involved to ensure the bank’s successful rollout and sustainability.
Beyond the bank, Governor Bago also announced a pilot programme to begin in 2026 targeting the active participation of two million women in agriculture. He argued that such interventions are critical for boosting food security, reducing unemployment, and curbing insecurity and social vices in the state.
The governor further highlighted agriculture’s growing importance to Niger State’s economy. He recalled that in 2024, the state generated an estimated N600 billion from agriculture and related businesses, which he described as a conservative figure covering grains production and agro sales in both the public and private sectors. Though the state has yet to provide data to substantiate this claim, Bago insisted that agriculture remains the backbone of Niger’s economy.
He added that future growth will depend on the adoption of modern techniques and technologies across the agricultural value chain, from irrigation systems and crop production to livestock management and aquaculture. According to him, these measures are necessary to sustain food production and ensure that agriculture continues to serve as a driver of economic transformation in the state.
The planned bank and distribution of inputs are the latest in a series of agricultural-focused policies rolled out by the Niger State Government, which has styled itself as a champion of food security and rural development in Nigeria.
