By Awwal Umar Kontagora The Niger State Government has announced plans to establish a state cooperative bank dedicated to agriculture, aim...
By Awwal Umar Kontagora
The Niger State Government has announced plans to establish a state cooperative bank dedicated to agriculture, aimed at providing farmers with quicker and easier access to soft loans.
Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago, popularly known as the Farmer-Governor, disclosed this during the official flag-off of the free distribution of agricultural inputs to smallholder farmers’ associations for year-round farming across the state.
According to the governor, the proposed bank will function as a microfinance institution, offering low-interest loans to agricultural cooperatives. He said this move is intended to address the challenges farmers face in accessing loans from commercial banks, particularly the high interest rates and cumbersome procedures.
Governor Bago revealed that the state government will provide N2 billion as seed capital for the bank’s take-off. He encouraged agricultural cooperatives to prepare to open accounts with the bank when it becomes operational in order to benefit from the facility.
He described the initiative as a key component of his administration’s agricultural revolution policy, which aims to create employment, improve crop yield, and enhance the financial well-being of the people.
The governor further stated that the scheme will involve collaboration with relevant stakeholders from both the federal government and the private sector to ensure its successful implementation.
In a major stride towards empowering women, Governor Bago also announced that a pilot scheme targeting two million women in agriculture will commence in 2026. Under the scheme, beneficiaries will receive livestock—such as goats, sheep, and poultry—as well as crop seedlings, farm inputs, and extension services to boost agricultural productivity across the state.
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