GEEP National Programme Manager Visits NIRSAL PLC, Seeks Strategic Collaboration on FarmerMoni
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The National Programme Manager of the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP), Ibrahim Hamza Baba, has reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to deepening collaboration with NIRSAL PLC to strengthen risk management and sustainability within the FarmerMoni ecosystem.
Baba made this known during a courtesy visit to the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of NIRSAL PLC, Mr. Saad Hamidu, in Abuja, where both parties held extensive discussions on areas of strategic partnership aimed at advancing the broader objectives of the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA).
The engagement focused on enhancing sustainability and risk-management mechanisms for GEEP beneficiaries, while fostering stronger inter-agency synergies to support smallholder farmers and promote enterprise empowerment across Nigeria. Central to the discussions was the need to improve access to finance, reduce lending risks and ensure long-term impact for FarmerMoni beneficiaries.
During the meeting, both organisations agreed to explore collaboration in critical priority areas, including the deployment of credit risk guarantees and co-financing arrangements that would leverage NIRSAL’s risk-sharing instruments to de-risk lending to FarmerMoni beneficiaries. They also considered aligning beneficiary data through improved data sharing and enumeration processes to strengthen digital records and registration systems for programme participants.
Other areas identified for cooperation include joint capacity-building and technical assistance initiatives targeted at beneficiaries and field agents, with a focus on boosting productivity, financial literacy and creditworthiness. The parties further discussed facilitating stronger linkages between beneficiaries and input suppliers, off-takers and aggregation or market channels to improve input supply and market access.
In addition, both sides underscored the importance of integrating monitoring and evaluation frameworks as well as digital platforms to enhance programme oversight, transparency and impact measurement. Coordinated policy advocacy and regulatory alignment were also highlighted as essential to ensuring an enabling environment for the effective implementation of programme interventions.
Speaking at the meeting, Mr. Hamidu stated that NIRSAL remains committed to partnering with GEEP by combining its risk-sharing products, technical expertise and market linkages to strengthen the FarmerMoni value chain and expand sustainable access to finance for smallholder farmers across the country.
In his response, Baba welcomed the proposed partnership, noting that the collaboration would merge NIRSAL’s insurance and risk management solutions with FarmerMoni’s grassroots distribution and extensive beneficiary network. According to him, this synergy would enable the delivery of a comprehensive package encompassing credit, agricultural inputs, training and risk mitigation on a nationwide scale.
Both parties agreed on concrete next steps, including the establishment of a joint technical working group tasked with defining pilot activities, setting timelines and developing an implementation plan. These efforts are expected to culminate in the signing of a formal Memorandum of Understanding to guide the partnership.
