NIRSAL

21/08/2026

𝗔 𝗠𝗔𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗖𝗟𝗔𝗦𝗦 𝗜𝗡𝗗𝗘𝗘𝗗

It has been an intense week of learning, exchange, and mind-shifting here in Lagos.
From climate action and climate finance, value-chain risk assessment and adaptation financing, to AI in rural and agricultural finance, climate data analytics, case studies, and practical proposal development for accessing climate finance, the sessions have reinforced just how rapidly Africa's agricultural finance landscape is evolving.

Convened by 𝗔𝗙𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗔 in collaboration with 𝗡𝗜𝗥𝗦𝗔𝗟 𝗣𝗹𝗰, 𝗖𝗜𝗔𝗧 (𝗖𝗚𝗜𝗔𝗥), 𝗣𝗮𝘁𝗵𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗶𝗲𝘀, and other partners and facilitators including 𝗘𝗰𝗼𝗗𝗲𝘃, 𝗠𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗱, and I𝗠𝗦 𝗚𝘂𝗿𝘂, the engagement has brought knowledge, technology, finance, and development practice into one room.

And the conversations have landed differently across the financial ecosystem. Central Banks have taken much in; commercial banks have stayed engaged; microfinance institutions are imagining a bigger role in agricultural financial intermediation; and insurance companies are interrogating what the emerging opportunities and risks mean for them.
Takeaways aplenty!

For institutions working to unlock more capital for agriculture, continuous learning is no longer optional. As the risks evolve, so too must the knowledge, tools, and financing models we deploy.

19/08/2026

The 𝗔𝗙𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗔 𝗠𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗜𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗔𝗜 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗔𝗴𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 commenced yesterday in Lagos with an opening ceremony and the first round of technical sessions.

Now in Day Two, participants from across Africa are continuing the conversation around climate-resilient finance, agricultural risk, and the evolving role of technology in financial intermediation.

A timely engagement, the programme has highlighted the role Africa's financial institutions must play in strengthening the continent's capacity to sustainably feed itself and improve its global competitiveness.

12/08/2026

To the young people whose innovation, enterprise, sense of community, and dedication to duty will shape a more prosperous world...
𝗛𝗮𝗽𝗽𝘆 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗗𝗮𝘆!

May your ideas become solutions, your aspirations become achievements, and your energy continue to drive positive change in your communities and beyond.

11/08/2026

𝗔 𝗪𝗘𝗘𝗞 𝗧𝗢 𝗚𝗢

In just one week's time, the 𝗔𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗥𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗔𝗴𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 (𝗔𝗙𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗔), in collaboration with NIRSAL Plc, Alliance of Bioversity International & CIAT (CGIAR), and Pathways Technologies, will convene financial institutions and development stakeholders for a Masterclass on agricultural finance and artificial intelligence.

Across Africa, fiscal pressures continue to constrain governments' ability to finance critical sectors of the economy. But the continent's foremost source of food, jobs, and rural livelihoods cannot afford to wait. Thus, the ability to attract, structure, and deploy private capital at scale must continue to define Africa’s agro-economy over the next decade.

Institutions must be supported to develop the tools, capabilities, and confidence to finance agribusinesses profitably. AFRACA has consistently advanced this agenda through research-driven capacity development programmes that equip financial institutions with practical knowledge of emerging markets, innovative financing mechanisms, and evolving risk management approaches.

Designed for commercial banks, development finance institutions, agricultural finance institutions, development partners, and other stakeholders, this Masterclass will provide practical insights into the application of 𝗔𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 in agricultural finance, including credit assessment, risk management, portfolio management, and the responsible integration of AI into financial services.

For public economic objectives to be achieved at scale, they must be translated into commercially viable opportunities for private capital. Africa's ambition to build resilient and inclusive agricultural financing systems therefore requires financial institutions with the knowledge, tools, and confidence to intermediate capital effectively.

05/08/2026

𝗦𝗧𝗥𝗘𝗡𝗚𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗡𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗖𝗥𝗘𝗗𝗜𝗧 𝗚𝗨𝗔𝗥𝗔𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗘 𝗘𝗖𝗢𝗦𝗬𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗠

We were pleased to receive the Executive Management of the 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁 𝗚𝘂𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝘆 (𝗡𝗖𝗚𝗖) yesterday for discussions on shared institutional interests and opportunities for collaboration.

Established in 2025, NCGC is a timely addition to Nigeria’s financial architecture, positioned to support increased flows of credit to the real sector for enterprise growth, job creation, and broader economic development.

With over a decade of experience deploying credit risk guarantees to stimulate agricultural lending, NIRSAL was pleased to share insights from its institutional journey while also disposed to gaining insights from NCGC’s multi-sector mandate.

The engagement concluded with an agreement to constitute a joint technical committee to identify areas of complementarity such as the development of co-guarantee models and other practical pathways for collaboration.

The NCGC delegation, led by its Managing Director/Chief Executive, 𝗗𝗿. 𝗕𝗼𝗻𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗢𝗸𝗵𝗮𝗶𝗺𝗼, was received by NIRSAL’s Executive Director, Operations, 𝗠𝗿. 𝗘𝘄𝗮𝗲𝗻 𝗜𝗺𝗼𝗵𝗲. Also on the visiting delegation were 𝗠𝗿𝘀. 𝗧𝗶𝗻𝘂𝗼𝗹𝗮 𝗔𝗶𝗴𝘄𝗲𝗱𝗼, Executive Director, Strategy and Operations; 𝗠𝘀. 𝗭𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯 𝗜𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗵𝗶𝗺-𝗟𝗼𝘂𝗶𝘀𝘆, Head of Strategy and Transformation, among others.

31/07/2026

𝗖𝗔𝗦𝗛𝗘𝗪 𝗩𝗔𝗟𝗨𝗘 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗜𝗡 𝗘𝗡𝗚𝗔𝗚𝗘𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗦 𝗜𝗡 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗦𝗢𝗨𝗧𝗛-𝗘𝗔𝗦𝗧

Agriculture and finance have, for too long, operated with a degree of mutual hesitation. Many agribusinesses, despite viable opportunities, remain reluctant to approach formal finance because of past disappointments, while lenders continue to view the sector through the lens of both real and perceived risks. The result is that promising investments are often delayed, or never happen at all.

One of NIRSAL's core mandates is to bridge this divide by building confidence on both sides: helping financiers better understand agriculture, while demonstrating to agribusinesses that commercial finance can be a viable pathway to growth when projects are well structured and risks are properly managed.

This is why stakeholder engagement remains a critical part of our work. As part of this year's engagement programme, our Business Development team has been working closely with cashew stakeholders across the South-East to explore opportunities for expanding Nigeria's cashew value chain; from increasing production and improving value capture at plantation level to strengthening logistics, storage, processing, and market access.

Our Regional Head of Business Development, South, 𝗔𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗮 𝗕𝗮𝗶𝘆𝗲𝘄𝘂, and Zonal Head, South-East, 𝗗𝗿. 𝗟𝗮𝗿𝗿𝘆 𝗜𝘄𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗮, have been engaging stakeholders through consultations, field visits, and industry discussions to better understand the region's agricultural priorities, identify strategic partners, and initiate the collaborations needed to unlock the full potential of the cashew ecosystem.

Those engagements are already yielding results. Clusters of cashew merchants in Enugu have been identified, engaged, and introduced to NIRSAL's financial partners, with NIRSAL positioned to provide Credit Risk Guarantees that support the flow of commercial finance into viable projects.

Cashew is just one example. Across Nigeria, every region possesses agricultural value chains capable of driving enterprise growth, creating jobs, increasing exports, and strengthening regional competitiveness. Unlocking that potential requires more than capital alone. It requires trust, collaboration, market confidence, and sustained engagement.

30/07/2026

Honouring the connections that make our work possible.

𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘄𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝘁𝗼𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿, 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝗻𝘀.

27/07/2026

𝗖𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗘𝗗 𝗧𝗢 𝗟𝗘𝗡𝗗

Every guarantee begins with a decision to assume risk; but never blindly.

At NIRSAL, every Credit Risk Guarantee is preceded by rigorous due diligence. Before backing the commercial finance that powers agricultural production, processing, and commodity trade, our teams visit project sites across the country to assess operations, validate assumptions, understand risks, and ensure that every guarantee rests on sound fundamentals.

These pre-guarantee visits are more than a risk assessment exercise. They give us the privilege of meeting entrepreneurs, farmers, processors, and agribusiness owners who, despite significant challenges, continue to build resilient businesses. Across Nigeria, they are creating jobs, strengthening rural economies, expanding value chains, and supporting countless livelihoods.

Our responsibility, of course, is to ensure that finance flows where opportunity is real, and where it can succeed sustainably. But beyond every business, every facility, and every guarantee, we encounter people with the courage to build, the determination to triumph over many odds, and the vision to create value for their communities.

𝗔𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗴𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀, 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲.

21/07/2026

𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗕𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗕𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱: 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗡𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗮’𝘀 𝗠𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗨𝗽 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗰𝗼𝗮 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗶𝗻

Last week’s 𝗖𝗼𝗰𝗼𝗮 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲 𝗔𝗱𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 put a single ambition at the centre of the national conversation: "𝙈𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙉𝙞𝙜𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙖 𝙪𝙥 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙘𝙤𝙖 𝙫𝙖𝙡𝙪𝙚 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙞𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙧𝙚𝙩𝙖𝙞𝙣 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙫𝙖𝙡𝙪𝙚 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙗𝙚𝙖𝙣𝙨 𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙚". The conversation is really not on whether Nigeria should stop exporting, but on the processing capacity it must build to export higher-value products.

We must collectively change the narrative of Nigeria and Africa’s current position in the global cocoa value chain of producing the most while reaping the least rewards. Delivering this aspiration requires financing to support entrepreneurs willing to invest in processing facilities, modern technology, quality systems, logistics, and export-ready manufacturing.

𝗦𝘂𝗻𝗯𝗲𝘁𝗵 𝗚𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁𝘀 𝗟𝘁𝗱’s example, of journeying from cocoa commodity trading to establishing a 70,000-metric-tonne processing facility, is a compelling scenario of Nigeria's path forward. It demonstrates what becomes possible when enterprise is matched with appropriate financial support. And this is what NIRSAL offers: de-risking and comfort to lenders who have long viewed agro lending as too risky.

Through its credit risk guarantees, 𝗡𝗜𝗥𝗦𝗔𝗟 𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻𝘀 𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀, crowding in commercial and blended finance for entrepreneurs ready to invest in value addition. Having already applied this model to move actors up the chain for cocoa and other commodities, NIRSAL stands as a willing partner for financiers and cocoa players with value addition aspirations.

As noted by Executive Director, Ewaen Imohe, during the Summit’s plenary, NIRSAL’s role is not in merely increasing the volume of lending, but more in channelling investment towards activities that create greater economic value.

25/06/2026