In a renewed push to reposition Kogi State as a strategic player in Nigeria’s agricultural landscape, the state government has opened talks with the Nigerian Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL) to explore a partnership aimed at scaling up agribusiness and attracting global investment in food security.
The initiative aligns with Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo’s development blueprint to make agriculture a viable commercial enterprise, capable of driving economic transformation, food sufficiency and rural development.
Leading a high-level delegation to NIRSAL headquarters in Abuja on Monday, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Hon.
Timothy Ojoma, said the engagement was a strategic move to unlock opportunities and attract technical and financial support into Kogi’s agricultural value chain.
“The Governor is determined to position Kogi as a key player in Nigeria’s agricultural revolution. We are taking deliberate steps to turn agriculture into a business and create an enabling environment for sustainable investment,” Ojoma stated.
He noted that the state has in recent months embarked on foreign investment missions to Abidjan and China, all geared towards building transnational partnerships for commercial farming, agro-processing, and technology transfer.
In his response, Mr. Suleiman Ibrahim, Assistant General Manager, Business Development (Northern Region) at NIRSAL, commended the Ododo administration’s focus on agriculture, describing the engagement as “timely and forward-looking.”
He lauded the development of the Special Agro-Processing Zone (SAPZ) in the state, identifying it as a “critical entry point for targeted agricultural interventions that can catalyse rural prosperity.”
“Kogi is rich in agricultural resources and has shown visible commitment through its agro-processing initiatives. Once production and processing are properly optimised, we begin to unlock real value,” Ibrahim said.
He further disclosed that NIRSAL is awaiting a formal proposal from the Kogi State Government to commence technical collaboration.
The partnership is expected to involve capacity building, baseline data generation, and strategic advisory towards unlocking blended financing opportunities in the sector.
“We see a serious and organised team, and we are committed to working together to deliver real, measurable impact in the agricultural sector,” he affirmed.
According to both parties, the next phase will focus on designing a structured roadmap with clear deliverables around risk sharing, finance mobilisation, and agribusiness support, especially for smallholder farmers and agri-preneurs in Kogi.
The initiative is part of a broader strategy to build resilience in Nigeria’s food systems, reduce post-harvest losses, and create jobs through inclusive agricultural transformation.
Observers say the partnership, if properly harnessed, could significantly boost investor confidence in Kogi’s agricultural sector and signal a shift toward evidence-based policy execution in state-led agribusiness development.
