The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank (AfDB) Group has approved a 200 million dollar loan to scale up priority agricultural investments in Nigeria. In a statement released on its website on Friday, February 20, 2026, the bank confirmed that the financing will support the second phase of the Federal Government’s National Agricultural Growth Scheme–Agro-Pocket (NAGS-AP).
This initiative is designed to boost productivity, strengthen value chains, and accelerate climate-smart, data-driven farming across the country.
The new funding follows earlier support from the Bank Group’s African Emergency Food Production Facility and will directly contribute to implementing five key programmes under the National Agricultural Technology and Innovation Policy (NATIP). These programmes prioritize improving access to quality agricultural inputs, revitalizing extension services, and enhancing agricultural data management.
The funding is expected to raise staple crop production through the use of climate-resistant, high-yield seed varieties and fertilizer blends tailored to local conditions, while expanding crop insurance to protect farmers from climate-related losses.
A major goal of the project is a fivefold increase in wheat production and a 20 percent rise in rice output, aimed at strengthening national food self-sufficiency and encouraging youth participation in commercial farming. Abdul Kamara, Director General of the Bank’s Nigeria Country Department, noted that Phase 2 draws on the successes of Phase 1, which utilized an ICT-based system and over 600 agro-dealers to triple national wheat output to an estimated 0.5 million metric tonnes in 2024.
To date, approximately 650,000 smallholder farmers producing wheat, rice, cassava, maize, sorghum, and millet have benefited from the scheme.
The four-year project is scheduled to begin in March 2026 and aligns with the AfDB’s strategic vision to empower young people and women through technology and financial support.
While agriculture remains the backbone of the economy, employing 38 percent of the workforce and contributing 25.2 percent to Nigeria’s GDP, the sector has long struggled with low productivity due to limited access to inputs and climate challenges. This new intervention aims to bridge these gaps and advance inclusive growth nationwide.
 Group has approved a 200 million dollar loan to scale up priority agricultural investments in Nigeria. In a statement released on its website on Friday, February 20, 2026, the bank confirmed that the financing will support the second phase of the Federal Government’s National Agricultural Growth Scheme–Agro-Pocket (NAGS-AP).){kind=link}