The World Bank has approved a $500 million credit facility to support the Nigeria Sustainable Agricultural Value-Chains for Growth (AGROW) project, a six-year initiative designed to boost agricultural productivity, strengthen market linkages, and enhance food security across the country.
The funding, provided through the International Development Association (IDA), was formally approved on March 30, 2026 and will run from 2026 to 2032. The AGROW project aims to benefit up to one million smallholder farmers while mobilizing an additional $220 million in private sector investment for Nigeria’s agricultural sector.
The project is designed to address long-standing structural challenges in Nigeria’s agricultural sector, which remains the country’s largest employer but continues to underperform due to low productivity, limited access to quality inputs, climate shocks, and weak market linkages for smallholder farmers.
How the AGROW Project Works
At the heart of AGROW is a results-based matching grant scheme that supports agribusinesses that commit to sourcing produce directly from smallholder farmers. The intervention focuses on four priority value chains: rice, maize, cassava, and soybeans. Grants will be directed toward aggregation, post-harvest handling, agro-processing, and improved market access.
Beyond these core activities, AGROW will also invest in strengthening agricultural research and extension services, expanding access to improved and climate-resilient seeds, and establishing a national digital farm and farmer registry. Farmers are expected to benefit from digital advisory services, including localized weather and climate information, to improve yields and resilience to environmental shocks.
The project will also work to improve seed and fertilizer regulatory systems, expand early-generation seed supply, and enhance private sector participation in the production of high-quality inputs. Strong coordination, monitoring, and citizen engagement mechanisms will be deployed, with a particular focus on including women and youth.
A Transformative Step for Agriculture
Mathew Verghis, World Bank Country Director for Nigeria, described AGROW as a “transformative step” for the country’s agricultural sector.
“AGROW is a transformative step for Nigeria’s agriculture, empowering smallholder farmers, unlocking private sector–led growth, and strengthening food security in a sustainable way,” Verghis said.
He added that the project will help ensure improved food and nutrition security and greater resilience to climate shocks among farmers in participating states across Nigeria.
The initiative aligns with Nigeria’s broader goals of boosting agricultural productivity, creating jobs, and enhancing value addition, while also forming a key part of the World Bank’s Agriconnect initiative aimed at transforming smallholder farming systems from subsistence into commercially viable agribusinesses globally.