By Awwal Umar Kontagora The Niger State Government has announced plans to establish a state-owned cooperative bank aimed at improving acce...
By Awwal Umar Kontagora
The Niger State Government has announced plans to establish a state-owned cooperative bank aimed at improving access to soft loans for smallholder farmers.
Governor Umaru Bago made the disclosure on Friday, September 12, 2025, in Minna, during the flag-off of the Federal Government’s free distribution of agricultural inputs to smallholder farmers' associations for year-round farming.
According to the governor, the proposed bank will operate as a microfinance institution, offering low-interest loans to agricultural cooperatives. He said the initiative is designed to eliminate the bureaucratic hurdles and high interest rates often associated with commercial banks.
"The bank will operate as a microfinance bank to provide loans to agricultural cooperatives, thereby reducing the high interest rates charged by commercial banks and the rigorous processes involved," Bago stated.
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