By Faridat Salifu
The Bank of Agriculture (BoA) has reiterated its commitment to advancing women’s economic empowerment through targeted initiatives in agriculture.
Speaking at an event in Abuja to mark the International Women Day 2026, Managing Director/Chief Executive of BoA, Ayodeji Oludare Sotinrin highlighted efforts to close gender gaps in agribusiness financing.
He said the institution is implementing programs designed to improve women’s access to finance, agricultural inputs, markets, and technical support across value chains.
The MD emphasized that women play a central role in food production, processing, and marketing across Nigeria, and supporting them strengthens both the economy and household resilience.
Mr. Sotinrin noted that women farmers often face challenges such as limited access to credit, land ownership restrictions, and inadequate collateral, which hinder their participation in commercial agriculture.
To address these barriers, he said the BoA has introduced gender-responsive lending products, including low-interest loans, flexible repayment schedules, and group lending schemes tailored for women-led agricultural enterprises.
The bank has also partnered development organizations and private sector actors to provide capacity building, agritech training, and market linkages for women in agriculture.
The MD highlighted the targeted value chains to include crops, livestock, fisheries, and agro-processing, with a focus on high-value commodities and export-oriented enterprises.
NatureNews notes that stakeholders at the event were unanimous that empowering women economically through agriculture contributes to food security, poverty reduction, and rural development.
Participants argued that women’s increased participation in agribusiness generates jobs, boosts household incomes, and strengthens community resilience.
BoA also highlighted the success stories of women farmers who have expanded their businesses with bank support, citing improvements in production, income, and market access.
The bank pledged to track gender-specific impact metrics to ensure accountability and measure the effectiveness of its programs.
In their remarks, representatives of development partners at the event reaffirmed support for the bank’s initiatives, noting that enhanced women’s economic engagement in agriculture could contribute to national development goals.
The IWD commemoration underscored the need for greater public and private investment in gender-inclusive agricultural financing across Africa.