Access Bank has committed more than N200 billion to guarantee sustainable food security in the nation, benefiting more than 10,000 people along the value chain of the agricultural industry.
According to the lender, the action was taken to fulfill specific consumer needs in line with market realities, generate jobs, and ensure sustained food security across the country. This was stated by Emmanuel Makinwa, Team Lead, Access Bank’s Agric Business, Commercial Banking Division, during a press conference to introduce the bank’s specialized desks, which are focused on development and agriculture.
According to him, the project has had a significant positive impact and assisted clients in expanding their companies, which include small farmholder partners, SMEs, groups, and major corporate organizations.
Regarding the advantages, he stated that it offers specialized products, including non-financial and financial products, consulting services, capacity building, stakeholder engagement, and the development of products that cater to the demands of customers.
According to Makinwa, the procedures allow for credit checks, loan disbursements, reviews, and the guarantee that the product tenure corresponds with the gestation duration. The lender’s Executive Director of the Commercial Bank Division, Hadiza Ambursa, spoke about how it has strengthened its development banking desk to promote sustainable development in Nigeria and throughout the African continent. She stated that the goal was to promote financial inclusion and economic empowerment by offering specialized financial products and services to institutions, businesses, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that support the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
She stated that the bank's goal in launching the program was to assist and develop the organization’s expansion while building a strong entrepreneurial environment in Nigeria and abroad.
“By helping to boost bilateral and multilateral banking relationships, managing donor funds and the programs the funds are meant for, and supporting projects and initiatives that are channeled towards the common good of the public, we hope to achieve our audacious goals in development banking,” she said.
Similarly, Ambur Sule, Head of the Development Banking Desk, stated “The desk acts as a
conduit for international funds and resources, strengthening Nigeria’s standing on the
international development stage and the bank’s influence in the African region.”
In Nigeria, our partnerships with reputable NGOs and institutions are crucial for promoting inclusive growth, expanding financial inclusion, lowering poverty, and advancing infrastructural development.
