By Yunusa Isa, Gombe
Farmers in Gombe State have received a major lifeline as ALGIR Integrated Services Limited, in partnership with the Bank of Agriculture (BOA), officially flagged off the distribution of 600,000 units of high-quality farm inputs.
The initiative, operating under the federal government’s “Renewed Hope Smallholder Support and Value-Chain Fund”, aims to enhance food security by providing farmers with certified NPK and Urea fertilizers, agrochemicals, herbicides, insecticides, and improved crop seeds at a single digit interest rate of 9% per annum.
Speaking during the flag off, the Managing Director, ALGIR Integrated Services, Alhaji Lawan Garba Ibrahim, noted that the programme offers a vital alternative to the high-cost credit models that have historically burdened local producers.
“This is not a handout, it is empowerment,” he stated. “It is the government saying to the Nigerian farmer: ‘We trust you. We invest in you. And we will stand with you.'”
He emphasized the importance of the program’s Guaranteed Minimum Intake Price policy, which protects farmers from market volatility and the post-harvest collapse of commodity prices, ensuring their hard work remains profitable.
Hajiya Rabi Kabir, representing the BOA Managing Director, Mr. Ayodeji Sotinrin, underscored that the programme is a strategic intervention under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope” agenda.
She highlighted the shift toward a comprehensive support system, stating that “Every farming season begins with an act of faith. For too long, the Nigerian farmer has carried that faith alone. Today’s gathering is the answer to that solitude: an institution of the Federal Republic standing beside the farmer and saying, this time, you do not plant alone.”
According to the Bank, the initiative is designed to support farmers “from soil to sale,” with a national target of reaching two million smallholder farmers.
Regarding the scope of the project in Gombe, Hajiya Kabir confirmed that 5,646 farmers are slated to benefit from the current distribution upon fulfilling the 25% equity requirement and other conditions.
She issued a stern call to stakeholders to maintain integrity throughout the process, warning, “Manage the distribution with fairness, keep your records with discipline, and stand by these farmers through the season. The credibility of this programme in Gombe rests with you.”
Reflecting the vision of the MD/CEO regarding the government’s expectations for the project, the BOA stressed that the initiative is not merely a subsidy to be managed, but a critical mandate.
“The trust placed in this programme by Mr. President is not a gift to be managed carefully; it is a mandate to be executed boldly. Let us honour it with results,” the representative stated.
In their goodwill messages, the Gombe State Coordinator for the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Absolom Akwaras; the Deputy Chairman of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) Gombe, Usman Sarkin Shanu Gombe who represented the chairman, Alhaji Modibbo Sadik Ahmad Nafaɗa; and the Chief Promoter of WACOT Ltd Gombe, Abdullahi Sani, all commended ALGIR for their commitment to farmers.
They assured the organizers of a fruitful collaboration to ensure the initiative directly benefits the state’s agricultural sector.
Adding to these sentiments, the Legal Advisor for ALGIR, Alhaji Bello Sharu, urged farmers to avoid selling the distributed items and to ensure timely repayment of the loan.
He stressed that strict conditions have been put in place to guarantee that only eligible farmers benefit from the intervention.
Beneficiaries, including the State Chairman of the Maize Farmers Association, Elkana Gurati, and Hajiya Hadiza Babayo, expressed appreciations to ALGIR for coming to their support.
They described the intervention as a significant boost to their businesses and a crucial step toward enhancing local food security, while promising to utilize the inputs judiciously and adhere to the repayment schedule.
With the inputs sourced from reputable providers and delivered ahead of the peak planting season, the project is expected to significantly stabilize food production and increase rural prosperity across the state.