Jigawa Farmers Get Major Boost: BoA and WACOT Drop Single-Digit Loans, 10 Million Fertiliser Bags

ABUJA - Jigawa State farmers are smiling as the wet season farming gets a serious upgrade. The Bank of Agriculture (BoA) and WACOT have teamed up under the Federal Government's Renewed Hope Smallholder Farmer Support and Value Chain Programme, bringing inputs and single-digit loan facilities to the grassroots. This is not your typical handout; it is a bold move to transform agriculture from survival mode to profit mode.

What is the Deal About?

At the flag-off ceremony in Jigawa, BoA's Managing Director Ayo Sotinrin, represented by Executive Director Tosin Salami, laid it out straight. This initiative is a fresh model for agricultural financing. It is a collaboration between government, financial institutions, and the private sector. Forget the old days of just dropping off seeds. This package bundles financing, extension services, agronomic support, and market access. The goal? Double or even triple farmers' yields.

Sotinrin said the programme targets genuine smallholder farmers with quality seeds, fertilisers, agrochemicals, technical support, and guaranteed off-take opportunities. It is a national intervention aiming to reach over 2 million smallholder farmers across more than 20 states. That means more than 10 million bags of fertiliser and improved seeds. And get this: over one-third of the beneficiaries are women. Africa rising, indeed.

Numbers That Hit Hard

For this farming season, about 200,000 farmers will benefit. By the dry season, that number jumps to 500,000. Sotinrin dropped some serious knowledge: many farmers currently harvest between one and one-and-a-half tonnes per hectare. With hybrid seeds, proper agronomic support, and quality inputs, yields could hit three to five tonnes per hectare. That is not just growth; that is a revolution.

The bank is also planning to upscale irrigation interventions. This means all-year-round farming. Smallholder farmers could cultivate three or four times annually instead of waiting for rain. No more depending on the skies.

What Farmers Get and What It Costs

Each beneficiary gets a package: improved seeds, two to three bags of fertiliser, and about 20 litres of agrochemicals. But here is the kicker: this is not a grant. It is a loan at a single-digit interest rate of nine per cent, thanks to Federal Government intervention funds. Each input package is valued at about ₦500,000. Farmers are projected to earn about ₦1.5 million at the end of the season. The loans have a nine-month repayment period and are disbursed through accredited farmer aggregation companies like WACOT Limited, not directly to individuals.

Sotinrin appealed to farmers to repay promptly. Why? Because this is a revolving fund. Prompt repayment means more farmers can benefit next season. It is about building a system that works for all of us.

WACOT and the Emirate Council Weigh In

WACOT's Managing Director Naveen Chaurasia said his company is committed to smallholder farmers. They are ensuring access to quality inputs, improved agronomic practices, and structured out-grower schemes covering sesame, rice, and soybean production. He pointed out that poor-quality inputs and poor practices have been a serious challenge. His advice: use quality inputs and embrace modern farming practices.

Alhaji Musa Ayuba of the Gumel Emirate Council called the initiative a welcome development. Gumel Emirate has a long history of farming, especially sesame production. He said the intervention will strengthen the local economy and boost Nigeria's foreign exchange earnings through increased sesame exports. The council appealed for affordable credit and agricultural insurance to cushion farmers against natural disasters. They also pledged to mobilise farmers and ensure prompt loan repayment, cementing Gumel's position as a top sesame-producing area.

Why This Matters for Nigeria and Africa

This is not just about Jigawa. It is about reclaiming our agricultural sovereignty. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's Renewed Hope Agenda is placing food security and agricultural financing at the centre of national economic policy. Jigawa State Governor Umar Namadi is also getting props for prioritising agricultural development through investments in extension services, irrigation, and climate-smart agriculture.

This is the kind of partnership that Africa needs. No more foreign interference. No more handouts. Just smart, bold, African-led solutions. Smallholder farmers are the backbone of our economy. When they win, we all win. And with this boost, Jigawa is showing the continent how it is done.