ABUJA, NIGERIA – The Federal Government, in partnership with the National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF), Flour Mills of Nigeria (FMN), and NOVA Merchant Bank, has launched a ₦1.5 billion pilot programme – NADP‑1, to cultivate 1,500 hectares of farmland while empowering 1,500 smallholder farmers.
Launched on Wednesday, June 25, 2025, the initiative is part of the NADF’s on‑lending facility and aligns with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Food Security and Market Priority Agenda, according to Executive Secretary Mohammed Ibrahim at the official briefing .
Ibrahim described the scheme as a blueprint for inclusive agricultural finance, stating:
“Smallholder farmers can be engaged profitably and sustainably. Through aggregation, value‑chain partnerships, and strategic financing, we can transform agriculture into a viable engine for national development.”
The pilot starts in Kaduna State, focusing on maize cultivation, as the state produces about 20 percent of Nigeria’s maize, noted FMN Agro MD Dr. Sadiq Usman . He added,
“A factory without a farm is scrap metal, and a farm without a factory is just wheat.”
NOVA Bank’s Group Head of Corporate Banking, Uzoma Ayonmike, described the move as more than financial support:
“A step toward food security, economic inclusion, and sustainable national progress.”
NADF’s Head of Investment, Olalekan Alabi, said the initiative will scale rapidly:
“From the initial 1,500 farmers to 10,000 before the end of the current wet season,” targeting maize, cassava, rice, soybean, and sorghum . The model includes mechanisation, input access, and market linkages.
The NADP‑1 project integrates agricultural and industrial value‑chain components, with FMN ready to absorb supply from enrolled farmers to ensure sustainable markets . The scheme aims to ultimately strengthen food security, rural livelihoods, and national economic diversification.
