Abuja: The Federal Government says it is building a solid base for a tech-enabled, youth-led agribusiness transformation to modernise agriculture and enhance Nigeria’s food security. The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Abubakar Kyari, articulated this vision at a High-Level Policy Dialogue on Youth and Women in Agribusiness on Monday in Abuja.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Kyari emphasized the government’s commitment to prioritizing innovation in the agricultural sector, ensuring that young people and women are at the heart of this transformation. “To further institutionalise this shift, the Federal Government, through the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, is presenting the National Agricultural Technology and Innovation Policy,” he said. This policy is designed to provide a strategic framework for transforming agriculture into a tech-enabled, youth-driven industry, promoting mechanisation, digital agriculture, and improved access to modern imports.
Kyari highlighted the administration’s vision for a smarter, younger, and more inclusive agriculture sector. He noted that the future of agriculture lies in precision technologies, climate-resilient farming systems, and inclusive financing models. “We are deliberately opening up the agricultural space for new voices, young people who code, design apps, deploy drones, and run climate-smart farms,” Kyari added.
The minister also announced the activation of the National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF) to attract long-term financing into the sector, along with the recapitalisation of the Bank of Agriculture (BOA) with N1.5 trillion, specifically targeting youth and women-led enterprises. Five core policy interventions under the National Agribusiness Policy Mechanism (NAPM) are set to roll out soon, focusing on affordable credit, business incubation, digital platforms, shared infrastructure, and data tracking systems.
Quoting Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Kyari asserted that “Africa’s next generation of millionaires will emerge from agriculture, not oil or minerals, but from agribusiness powered by technology.”
Mr. Abdul Kamara, Director-General of the Nigeria Country Department of AfDB, reiterated the bank’s commitment to empowering Nigeria’s youth and women through targeted investments in innovation, digital technology, entrepreneurship, and access to finance. He emphasized the need for improved access to finance as a critical constraint for youth and women-owned enterprises, citing that only 11.4 percent of enterprises have bank loans or lines of credit.
Kamara outlined several flagship initiatives the bank is implementing, such as the Investment in Digital and Creative Enterprises Programme (iDICE), a $618-million initiative supported by AfDB, the Islamic Development Bank, and the Agence Fran§aise de D©veloppement (AfD). This programme aims to foster innovation and entrepreneurship in digital technology and creative industries, impacting over 175,000 youths with relevant skills.
Additionally, Kamara spoke of the Youth Entrepreneurship Investment Bank Fund (YEIB-Fund), a $100-million initiative to support Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) owned by youth and women. He also mentioned the Ekiti Knowledge Zone Project and the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) programme, both aimed at transforming Nigeria into a hub of productivity and innovation.
The event, themed “Bridging the Gap – Access to Finance and Empowering Youth and Women for Agribusiness Success,” drew participation from government officials, stakeholders, and partners, highlighting coordinated efforts to integrate young people and women into the agribusiness sector.