The Federal Government through the National Social Investment Programmes Agency has launched the FarmerMoni Dry and Wet Season Programme under its Renewed Hope Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme 3.0, offering interest-free and collateral-free loans of up to N300,000 to smallholder farmers across all 774 local government areas of the country.
The scheme targets at least 22,000 farmers in its first phase, with state programme managers collaborating with enumerators, banks, fintech recovery agents, Agricultural Development Projects and farmer associations to ensure smooth implementation across all states including the FCT.
Speaking at the inauguration of the programme in Abuja on February 11, 2026, GEEP National Programme Manager Hamza Baba confirmed that the portal was open for registration. “The loan aims to enhance agricultural productivity and strengthen food security for vulnerable smallholder farmers,” he said, adding that each successful applicant would receive up to N300,000 benchmarked against the production cycle of specific farming activities.
The programme comes with a three-month moratorium before repayment begins and is targeted specifically at women, youth and vulnerable farming households. It is designed strictly for smallholder and subsistence farmers already engaged in farming, not new entrants and will be implemented across all 37 states of the federation.
The loans are intended to help farmers procure seeds, fertilisers, farm equipment and other essential agricultural inputs needed for the new farming season. Baba was emphatic about who the scheme is for. “Our farmers remain the backbone of the Nigerian economy. Supporting them is not only an economic necessity but a moral obligation,” he said, stressing that investing in farmers’ productivity and resilience reinforces agriculture as a sustainable pathway out of poverty and a catalyst for rural development.
The Minister of Finance also weighed in with a transparency pledge. “Our priority at the Ministry of Finance is ensuring that these N300,000 interest-free loans for smallholder farmers and targeted credit for our traders are disbursed with absolute transparency and speed,” she stated, describing the initiative as designed to empower Nigerians at the base of the economic pyramid.
