The United Kingdom has allocated $7.5 million in debt financing to enhance agricultural productivity and climate resilience for smallholder farmers in Northern Nigeria, targeting up to 140,000 farmers by 2029. The investment, facilitated through British International Investment (BII) to agritech firm Babban Gona, aims to address critical barriers such as limited access to finance, quality inputs, training, and markets, while tackling climate challenges like flooding and drought.
Florence Eshalomi, the UK’s Trade Envoy to Nigeria, emphasized the alignment with President Bola Tinubu’s development goals, citing the 2024 Enhanced Trade Partnership Agreement as a foundation for stronger bilateral ties. “This investment reflects our commitment to impactful trade and development partnerships with Nigeria,” Eshalomi told Nairametrics, noting the influence of the Nigerian diaspora in the UK and recent high-level diplomatic engagements. British Deputy High Commissioner Jonny Baxter highlighted that the funding will support smallholder farmers in a region producing 50–60% of Nigeria’s maize, where low yields and up to 30% post-harvest losses persist due to inadequate resources and climate risks.
Babban Gona’s Managing Director, Kola Masha, underscored the urgency of the initiative, stating, “Smallholder farmers face low productivity and significant losses, exacerbated by climate variability.” The investment will bolster Babban Gona’s AI-powered platform, providing farmers with high-quality inputs, climate-smart training, credit access, and post-harvest support, including storage and market linkages. This aligns with the UK’s broader strategy to foster sustainable development in Nigeria’s vulnerable regions.
The announcement comes amid growing UK-Nigeria trade momentum. Recent efforts, including a visit by London’s Deputy Mayor Howard Dawber, focused on easing banking access for Nigerian businesses in the UK, addressing hurdles in cross-border financial operations. The $7.5 million investment is a strategic step to strengthen Nigeria’s food security and economic resilience, particularly in the north, where agriculture is a critical livelihood but faces persistent structural and environmental challenges.
