Abubakar Kyari, Minister, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAFS)
Abubakar Kyari, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, has said that the implementation of the National Agricultural Technology and Innovation Policy (NATIP) will accelerate the agricultural ecosystem, improve access to modern inputs, and make agriculture more attractive, rewarding, and competitive, especially for youth and women farmers.
Speaking at the High-Level Policy Dialogue: “Bridging the Gap, Access to Finance, Empowering Youth and Women for Agribusiness Success” in Abuja, on Tuesday, August 5, 2025, Kyari emphasised that NATIP provides the strategic policy backbone for transforming agriculture into a tech-enabled, youth-driven sector.
“With NATIP, we are building that system, one that supports youth innovation, unlocks productivity, and rewards ambition. We must now ensure it delivers at scale,” he said.
The Minister highlighted the Federal Government’s National Agribusiness Policy Mechanism (NAPM), launched in May this year, which is being implemented under the coordination of the Presidential Food Systems Coordination Unit (PFSCU).
He noted that the initiative was gaining ground across several states, reaching about 250,000 farmers, and showing early signs of success.
Kyari emphasised the importance of setting clear delivery expectations, including establishing annual lending targets for youth and women-led agribusinesses, designing guarantees to expand access, and financing cash flows.
“It means equipping entrepreneurs not only with credit, but with the capabilities to absorb and grow that capital,” he added.
The Minister also highlighted the Renewed Hope Agenda, which places food security and job creation as interdependent levers for economic diversification, social stability, and national sovereignty.
“This agenda affirms the right to feed ourselves with what we grow, process, and add value to. Food sovereignty means reclaiming control over food systems, reducing reliance on imports, and investing in the strength of Nigerian farmers, processors, and agribusinesses as the foundation of national resilience,” he said.
Kyari announced that the National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF) is active and building partnerships to finance climate-smart agriculture, aggregation centers, storage hubs, and rural logistics systems.
He also revealed that President Bola Tinubu had approved the recapitalisation of the Bank of Agriculture (BOA) with N1.5 Trillion, marking the most significant boost to agricultural finance in Nigeria’s history.
The recapitalisation, according to the Minister, would reposition BOA as a dynamic development finance institution, with deliberate targeting of youth and women-led agribusinesses through accessible credit and capacity development support.
“Our task is to make that vision real by unlocking the full productive power of Nigeria’s youth and women in agriculture”, Kyari concluded.
