Emmanuel OchayiAccess Bank Plc’s Executive Director of Commercial Banking, Hadiza Ambursa, has announced that the bank’s investment in agribusiness has surpassed a staggering N200 billion, leading to significant benefits for over 10,000 agribusinesses across Nigeria.
Speaking at the bank’s Agriculture and Development Desks press conference in Lagos, Ambursa highlighted the extensive reach of their investment, which encompasses smallholder farms (SHFs), Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), organized farmer associations/cooperatives, and corporate entities financed under various bank products and government schemes.
Ambursa emphasized that the impact of Access Bank’s support for these projects has been far-reaching, contributing to increased food security, job creation, business growth among customers, and a substantial rise in revenue generation.
“Access Bank’s agriculture desk is committed to bolstering agribusiness to enhance food security in our nation,” Ambursa stated firmly.
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She pointed out that the bank has taken proactive steps to enhance its Agriculture Desk, ensuring improved value for customers and stakeholders at large.
“At the forefront of Nigeria’s agricultural financing market, Access Bank is dedicated to serving and supporting agribusinesses in Nigeria, aligning with the Central Bank of Nigeria’s directive to banks,” Ambursa explained.
The Agriculture Desk, she explained, operates as a specialized unit within the bank, tasked with providing financial and advisory services to both prospective and existing players in the agribusiness value chain.
It focuses on areas such as input and supply, primary production, storage, processing, marketing, mechanization, and more, in line with the CBN’s ‘From Farm to Table’ Policy thrust, which aligns with Access Bank’s vision of contributing to sustainable food security in Nigeria.
Ambursa highlighted that Access Bank’s Agriculture Desk is a trailblazer in the Nigerian agricultural financing market, effectively bridging the funding gap in the sector by promoting agribusiness activities through sustainable lending to customers.
“We are committed to accelerating the growth of agribusiness and improving the livelihoods of farmers and agro-entrepreneurs,” Ambursa affirmed.
She went on to describe the tailored financial solutions offered by Access Bank, designed to address the unique challenges faced by farmers, agribusinesses, and other stakeholders in the value chain.
These solutions include financial and advisory services, market linkages, capacity building (with a special focus on women and youth), stakeholder engagement, project monitoring, and reporting.
Ambursa concluded by highlighting that the Agriculture Desk’s impact goes beyond financing, emphasizing its role in driving transformational change within the agricultural landscape.
She noted that their reputation as a reliable driver of growth in Nigeria’s agricultural sector is reinforced through collaborations with key stakeholders, including government agencies, international organizations, and industry associations.
This collaborative approach underscores Access Bank’s commitment to making a substantial difference in Nigeria’s agribusiness sector.
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