Governor Umaru Bago has revealed that Niger State Government will establish a cooperative bank dedicated to agriculture, aimed at giving smallholder farmers easier access to soft loans.
Gatekeepers News reports that speaking in Minna on Friday, September 12, 2025, during the Federal Government’s free distribution of farm inputs to smallholder associations, Bago explained that the bank will function like a microfinance institution.
He said, “The bank will operate as a microfinance bank to provide loans to agricultural cooperatives to reduce the high interest rates charged by commercial banks and the rigorous processes involved.”
According to the Governor, ₦2 billion has been set aside as seed capital for the bank’s take-off, and he encouraged farmer cooperatives to open accounts once it begins operations.
Bago noted that the plan is part of his administration’s agricultural revolution agenda, which focuses on job creation, boosting food production, and improving farmers’ livelihoods.
The Governor added that both federal agencies and private sector stakeholders would be involved to ensure the project’s success.
He also revealed that a pilot scheme for two million women farmers will begin in 2026. Beneficiaries will receive goats, sheep, poultry, crop seedlings, and extension services to support higher productivity across the state.
