A total of N18.6 billion was disbursed to 136,902 smallholder farmers and agribusiness-focused SMEs across Nigeria in the first quarter of 2025, marking a 31% increase from the N12.9 billion distributed in the same period last year.
The funding was facilitated through the Lift Above Poverty Organisation's (LAPO) agricultural financing arm, targeting micro and small enterprises operating in rural and peri-urban areas. Operating across 341 branches in 22 states, the initiative aimed to improve financial inclusion and scale up the productivity of agricultural SMEs.
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In a parallel programme, over 6,000 agro-entrepreneurs operating in poultry, livestock, and fisheries benefited from an additional N1 billion disbursed under LAPO's Household Poultry and Livestock Initiative. The initiative also offered access to modern inputs, training, and extension services—key tools for building sustainable agro-SMEs.
According to LAPO, a strong focus was placed on empowering women-led households and youth-run ventures, aligning with its mission to support inclusive entrepreneurship, rural development, and food security. These interventions address long-standing financing gaps and help agro-SMEs overcome structural barriers to growth and competitiveness.
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