Nine States Secure $158m Agric Value Chain Deal
Nine states in the northern part of the country have secured a deal with two international agencies to promote value chain in the agricultural sector.
The deal worth $158.15 million involves commercial cultivation of wheat, maize, and animal feed and ramping investment in irrigation, processing, and storage facilities.
Each of the states will contribute funds to the deal while the bulk of the $158.15 million will come from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), and the French Development Agency (AFD).
The deal to kickstart the Value Chain Programme in Northern Nigeria (VCN) was signed on Wednesday at the State House in Abuja.
The Syndicate reports that it will be an eight-year programme to be run in Jigawa, Katsina, Kebbi, Borno, Bauchi, Kano, Sokoko, Yobe and Zamfara states.
Vice President Kashim Shettima said the initiative was a product of critical thinking to rile up the economy of the northern region in line with the administration’s commitment to reduce poverty and restore the dignity of farmers to ensure food security.
“It is a declaration of faith in the North—not as a region of deficits, but as a place of abundance. It also invites us to play our part in fulfilling the promise to reduce poverty, nourish our people, and restore dignity to farming families across Bauchi, Borno, Jigawa, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, Kano, Yobe, and Zamfara.
“What has brought us together today is an investment of $158.15 million, co-financed by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the Agence Française de Développement (AFD), the Federal Government of Nigeria, and other stakeholders.
“This reflects President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to prioritising what matters most—people, productivity, and prosperity,” Shettima said.
He said that the deal followed the commencement of another initiative, the construction of Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones.
Shettima said both initiatives would serve as “steady pipeline of raw materials and ensuring our processors no longer grope for quality inputs.
“This synergy will shift us from exporting raw produce to exporting value-added goods—creating jobs, wealth, and industrial stability.”
Shettima observed that “the recent global trade disruptions and the resurgence of protectionism are loud warnings” to Nigeria to begin to grow what its people eat and produce what they trade.
His words: “The agricultural tariffs and retaliatory postures of global powers like the U.S. and China have rattled commodity chains. For a nation that has long relied on food imports, the message is clear: we must grow what we eat and produce what we trade.
“The VCN answers this call. By making wheat, maize, and animal feed viable for commercial cultivation, and by investing in irrigation, processing, and storage facilities in states like Kebbi and Jigawa, we are not just securing food—we are laying the groundwork for agricultural exports that can rival our oil.
“What makes this programme exceptional is that it targets the underserved: women, youth, persons with disabilities, and returnees. It recognises that peace and prosperity are twin goals—and that in communities scarred by conflict, agriculture is not just a livelihood; it is rehabilitation.”
According to him, gvernment will deploy digital tools to track progress from farmers registration to market access, input distribution to yield analysis.
The VP believed that “in regions where migration and insecurity are fuelled by joblessness, the VCN provides vehicles for enterprise, income, and dignity.”
In a remark, Katsina State Governor and Chairman of the Northwest Governors’ Forum, Malam Dikko Umaru Radda, described the development as a vital intervention that will significantly improve agricultural productivity across the northern region.
“This initiative represents a transformative opportunity for our farmers and agribusinesses in Katsina State and across the entire northern region,” Governor Radda stated.
Also, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Abubakar Kyari said the signing of the financing agreement represents a significant milestone in the efforts to transform the agricultural landscape in Nigeria.
Mrs. Dede Ekoue, Country Director of IFAD, noted that the programme will target about 3.1 million households across the nine states, focusing on climate-smart agriculture, improving post-harvest handling, increasing access to business development services for youth and women agri-preneurs, and scaling up access to digital solutions for productivity.
The IFAD Country Director added that the expected results include the creation of over 30,000 jobs and entrepreneurial opportunities for youths, women, and vulnerable groups, as well as the construction of over 229 kilometres of roads to enhance access to markets.
Other governors present at the ceremony, including Prof. Babagana Zulum of Borno and Alhaji Umar Namadi of Jigawa, also commended the initiative.
