By Faridat Salifu
The Bank of Agriculture (BOA) and the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) have partnered to provide credit support for about 400,000 farmers in the 2026 dry-season farming cycle.
The partnership, announced on Friday, October 2, 2026, is aimed at expanding food production beyond the rainy season by improving farmers’ access to financing and inputs.
The initiative comes as Nigeria faces mounting pressure to boost domestic food production and narrow supply gaps driving food price increases. Scaling up dry-season cultivation would enable farmers to produce crops outside the rain-fed window and strengthen year-round food availability.
Under the arrangement, BOA will provide financing, while AFAN will mobilise and coordinate farmers across farming communities.
The scheme is expected to give more smallholder farmers access to capital for seeds, fertiliser, irrigation equipment and other inputs required for dry-season cultivation.
Dry-season farming remains a key plank of Nigeria’s strategy to raise agricultural productivity, particularly in areas with irrigation and water management systems that support off-season cultivation.
By extending agricultural credit to hundreds of thousands of farmers, the initiative is also expected to support jobs, boost farming household incomes and shore up domestic food supply.
The partnership aligns with Federal Government efforts and private sector moves to ramp up production, improve food security and reduce dependence on food imports.
