The Federal Government has launched the FarmerMonie Dry/Wet Season Programme and the Renewed Hope Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (RH-GEEP 3.0) to expand financial support for farmers and small businesses nationwide. The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr. Bernard Doro, announced at the launch in Abuja that more than 21,000 smallholder farmers across the 774 local government areas will benefit in the first phase.
Under the scheme, the National Social Investment Programmes Agency (NSIPA) will provide interest-free loans of up to N300,000 to farmers to purchase seeds, fertilisers and equipment. The loans come with a three-month moratorium. Doro said the initiative aligns with the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda, aimed at promoting financial inclusion and reducing poverty. “By empowering farmers with resources across both planting cycles, we are boosting food security and ensuring agriculture remains a viable pathway out of poverty,” he said.
The minister also disclosed that 9.3 million households have benefited from the Conditional Cash Transfer programme, with plans to reach 16 million households by the end of 2026. According to him, the beneficiaries were identified through the National Social Register.
NSIPA’s Acting National Coordinator, Associate Prof. Badamasi Lawah, said RH-GEEP 3.0 is designed to strengthen micro and informal enterprises, while the FarmerMonie scheme targets subsistence farmers. GEEP National Programme Manager, Hamza Baba, added that the application portal has opened, requiring applicants to be Nigerian farmers above 18, possess a bank account and NIN, and belong to a cooperative.
