The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) yesterday said that a total of 1,232,326 loans worth 130.90 billion naira have been secured to farmers under the Agricultural Credit Guarantee Scheme Fund (ACGSF) since its inception in 1977 until May 2022.
The bank added that 973,646 beneficiaries had also repaid a total of N98.91 billion out of the total disbursements.
The central bank also said it guaranteed the sum of N22.58 million to 82 loan beneficiaries under the scheme in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) between January and May 2022, bringing the total guaranteed loans in the FCT to N1.748 billion from 14,258 loans.
Mr. Yila Yusuf, Director of CBN's Development Finance Division, announced the figures at the national ceremony for the 2021 Best Farmer of the Year award, held during the 40th ACGSF Board Meeting in Abuja.
In terms of loan recovery, he said 11,726 loans worth N801.05 million were repaid under the FCT scheme since the scheme began. Yila, who was represented by the Chairman of the Board of ACGSF, Stephen Okon, said that the agricultural sector has been successfully de-risked through the Scheme, with a number of loans being guaranteed from its inception.
Still, he said the award was introduced in the 1980s to recognize select farmers who have taken out loans under the program and repaid them within a specified time frame while using best agronomic practices to produce good yields.The CBN director said the gesture was intended to act as an incentive to join the program and inculcate good pay-back behavior to encourage more participants.
The bank added that 973,646 beneficiaries had also repaid a total of N98.91 billion out of the total disbursements.
The central bank also said it guaranteed the sum of N22.58 million to 82 loan beneficiaries under the scheme in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) between January and May 2022, bringing the total guaranteed loans in the FCT to N1.748 billion from 14,258 loans.
Mr. Yila Yusuf, Director of CBN's Development Finance Division, announced the figures at the national ceremony for the 2021 Best Farmer of the Year award, held during the 40th ACGSF Board Meeting in Abuja.
In terms of loan recovery, he said 11,726 loans worth N801.05 million were repaid under the FCT scheme since the scheme began. Yila, who was represented by the Chairman of the Board of ACGSF, Stephen Okon, said that the agricultural sector has been successfully de-risked through the Scheme, with a number of loans being guaranteed from its inception.
Still, he said the award was introduced in the 1980s to recognize select farmers who have taken out loans under the program and repaid them within a specified time frame while using best agronomic practices to produce good yields.The CBN director said the gesture was intended to act as an incentive to join the program and inculcate good pay-back behavior to encourage more participants.
Comments