The Federal Government on Wednesday signed a $158.15 million financing agreement to kickstart the Value Chain Programme in Northern Nigeria (VCN), a landmark initiative targeting food security, job creation, and rural development.
The agreement, sealed at the State House in Abuja, was signed by representatives of the Federal Government, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), and the French Development Agency (AFD), with co-funding from all parties involved.
The eight-year initiative, validated on 21 March 2024, was conceived following Vice President Kashim Shettima’s request during UNFSS stocktaking in Rome on 24 July 2023, that IFAD should scale-up its portfolio in Nigeria and mobilise additional partners and donors to support the agri-food transformation and food security of the Renewed Hope Agenda.
It is expected to sustainably reduce poverty, enhance nutrition and better resilience of rural and most vulnerable populations in the nine northern states, which include Borno, Bauchi, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Jigawa, Sokoko, Yobe and Zamfara.
Speaking during the signing ceremony of the financing agreement for the VCN project at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Vice President (VP) Shettima described the initiative as a product of critical thinking about the economic reality of the northern region.
In a statement by Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications, Office of the Vice President, Stanley Nkwocha, Shettima said it is a fulfilment of the promise made by the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to reduce poverty in Nigeria, restore dignity to the nation’s farmers, and ensure food security.
‘It is a declaration of faith in the North—not as a region of deficits, but as a place of abundance. It also invites us to play our part in fulfilling the promise to reduce poverty, nourish our people, and restore dignity to farming families across Bauchi, Borno, Jigawa, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, Kano, Yobe, and Zamfara.
‘What has brought us together today is an investment of $158.15 million, co-financed by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the Agence Française de Développement (AFD), the Federal Government of Nigeria, and other stakeholders. This reflects President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to prioritising what matters most—people, productivity, and prosperity’, VP Shettima declared.
Recalling that the administration recently commenced foundation laying for the construction of Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZs) across Nigeria, the VP said said the VCN programme will feed into the SAPZs, serving as “a steady pipeline of raw materials and ensuring our processors no longer grope for quality inputs.
‘This synergy will shift us from exporting raw produce to exporting value-added goods—creating jobs, wealth, and industrial stability’, he added.
Shettima observed that ‘the recent global trade disruptions and the resurgence of protectionism are loud warnings’ to Nigeria to begin to grow what its people eat and produce what they trade.
His words: ‘The agricultural tariffs and retaliatory postures of global powers like the U.S. and China have rattled commodity chains. For a nation that has long relied on food imports, the message is clear: we must grow what we eat and produce what we trade.
‘The VCN answers this call. By making wheat, maize, and animal feed viable for commercial cultivation, and by investing in irrigation, processing, and storage facilities in states like Kebbi and Jigawa, we are not just securing food—we are laying the groundwork for agricultural exports that can rival our oil.
‘What makes this programme exceptional is that it targets the underserved: women, youth, persons with disabilities, and returnees. It recognises that peace and prosperity are twin goals—and that in communities scarred by conflict, agriculture is not just a livelihood; it is rehabilitation’.
Noting that the Federal Government will deploy digital tools to track every step, ‘from farmer registration to market access, from input distribution to yield analysis’, the VP assured that “in regions where migration and insecurity are fuelled by joblessness, the VCN provides vehicles for enterprise, income, and dignity’.
Former Senate President, Ahmed Lawan who spoke on behalf of the National Assembly, commended IFAD, the federal government and other partners for the conception of the programme, describing it as a well-thought-out initiative that will transform the lives and livelihoods of many in the target states and beyond.
He pledged the commitment and support of the National Assembly in the implementation of the various interventions contained in the programme.
Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Abubakar Kyari said the signing of the financing agreement represents a significant milestone in the efforts to transform the agricultural landscape in Nigeria under the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Tinubu administration
He noted that the participation of the nine states and the presence of other critical stakeholders underscore the commitment of the sub-nationals and the federal government in fostering inclusivity in agricultural development and economic empowerment.
The Minister expressed confidence that the VCN will deliver programmes and projects that will improve agricultural productivity and the overall well-being of small-holder farmers, farmer groups, and women across the region.
