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Federal Government through the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA), in collaboration with the Abia State Government have flagged off the enumeration of beneficiaries under the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP) 3.0 FarmerMoni initiative in Umuahia.
This is as the inauguration and training of GEEP desk officers for the 17 local government areas of the state has commenced.
Speaking at the event organised by Abia State Ministry of Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection, the National Coordinator of GEEP, Hon. Ibrahim Hamzat Baba said the exercise marks another step towards expanding access to affordable agricultural financing for smallholder farmers in the state.
Hon. Baba described Abia as a state renowned for entrepreneurship and commended Governor Alex Otti for creating an enabling environment for agricultural development.
He explained that FarmerMoni is one of the components of GEEP, alongside TraderMoni and MarketMoni, which he said were designed by the Federal Government to provide interest-free and collateral-free microloans to vulnerable Nigerians who ordinarily have limited access to conventional banking facilities.
“FarmerMoni specifically targets smallholder farmers involved in crop cultivation, poultry, livestock production, fisheries and other agricultural activities, providing them with financial support to expand their operations and improve productivity”.
Hon Baba disclosed that eligible beneficiaries can access loans of up to ₦300,000 without interest or collateral, adding that the funds were intended to help farmers purchase seedlings, agricultural inputs, livestock feed and other essential materials.
He emphasised that FarmerMoni is a loan scheme, not a grant, explaining that repayment is expected to commence between six and nine months after disbursement.
He noted that the revolving nature of the programme would enable other farmers to benefit from the intervention as previous beneficiaries repay their loans.
The National Coordinator further explained that the programme prioritises women, young people and vulnerable farmers and is aligned with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and the National Development Plan 2026–2030.
He charged the newly inaugurated local government desk officers to discharge their responsibilities with integrity, accuracy and accountability, stressing that only registered beneficiaries whose details have been verified should be enumerated.
He equally warned the officers against demanding money from farmers, insisting that participation in the programme was free.
Baba urged them to treat farmers with dignity and ensure that women, youths and vulnerable groups are not excluded from the exercise.
He further cautioned the officers to handle the tablets provided for the exercise with care, explaining that the devices would also be used during subsequent enumeration exercises for TraderMoni and MarketMoni beneficiaries.
The Commissioner, Ministry of Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection, Dr. (Mrs) Ngozi Blessing Felix in her remarks noted that agriculture remains a major source of livelihood for many Abia households.
Dr. Felix however observed that inadequate access to affordable financing continues to limit the ability of smallholder farmers to expand production and acquire essential agricultural inputs.
She described FarmerMoni as a timely intervention that would complement the agricultural development efforts of Governor Otti’s administration by providing farmers with additional financial opportunities.
The Commissioner commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the Federal Government’s commitment to expanding economic opportunities for smallholder farmers, while appreciating the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, for her efforts towards supporting women, young people and vulnerable groups through the Renewed Hope initiative.
She disclosed that NSIPA’s national office had completed the online revalidation of 1,160 farmers in Abia State, with the next phase involving a 20-day physical field enumeration exercise across the 17 local government areas.
She called on the All Farmers Association of Nigeria, the Agricultural Development Programme and other relevant stakeholders to support the exercise by facilitating access to farming communities.
The South-East Coordinator of GEEP, Mrs Ifeoma Mba, described the assignment as a serious responsibility and urged the newly inaugurated officers to approach their duties with dedication and professionalism.
She encouraged them to work closely with the State Programme Manager, who would provide the necessary guidance and direction throughout the exercise.
Consultant, GEEP Southeast, Isaac Ugwu facilitated the training.
