Business
87 Cooperative Groups To Benefit From Agric Loan
Eighty-seven farmers cooperative groups in Plateau State are
to benefit from various loans from Stanbic IBTC bank via an initiative put
together by the Agricultural Services and Training Centre (ASTC), an official
has announced.
Ms Susan Bentu, the Secretary, ASTC, who made the disclosure
at a parley with farmers in Mangu, said that the loan would increase
productivity and boost the income of peasant farmers.
“The 87 co-operative outfits are those registered with the
ASTC; it is a tripartite agreement between the ASTC, Stanbic IBTC bank and
Grand Cereals and Oil Mills Limited.
“We believe that this deal will make farming more attractive
and raise the level of youths’ participation.”
Bentu explained that under the agreement, ASTC would provide
the farmers with mechanized farming support from cultivation to harvest, while
Stanbic IBTC bank would provide the direct cash loans to the farmers.
She said that Grand Cereals and Oil Mills Limited would
serve as the buyer and marketer of the farmers’ produce.
“All that is required from farmers, who wish to benefit from
this programme, is for them to form co-operatives and register with ASTC,“
Bentu said.
Speaking at the meeting, Mr. Steven Barko, Plateau State
Com-missioner for Agriculture, reiterated the state government’s commitment
toward a mechanized agriculture to create more job opportunties and maximise
the exploitation of natural resources.
“With this agreement, government is confident of a reliable
and trusted partner in ASTC and we want to challenge farmers to use the
opportunity to expand production towards achieving higher yield,” Barko said.
“Payment of tuition fees for undergraduate/postgraduate studies shall be subject to a maximum limit of $25,000.00 per semester,” the Manual states.
The expansion of international card limits also reflects growing confidence among lenders that foreign exchange liquidity has improved enough to support retail dollar transactions.
Speaking recently at the BusinessDay 14th Annual CEO Forum in Lagos, CBN Olayemi Cardoso, governor of the CBN said buying and selling activities now increasingly determine outcomes in the foreign exchange market, unlike in the past when market participants relied heavily on routine Central Bank interventions.
According to Cardoso, Nigeria’s net foreign exchange reserves have risen from just over $3 billion at the start of the reform programme to more than $40 billion, while gross reserves have climbed to about $52 billion, providing stronger confidence for investors and enabling the Central Bank to reserve interventions for periods of market stress rather than day-to-day liquidity management.
The restoration and expansion of international naira card spending limits are increasingly being seen as one of the clearest signs that the benefits of the CBN’s foreign exchange reforms are beginning to reach households, students and businesses making legitimate cross-border payments.
The Secretary-General and Chief Executive Officer, WEC, Dr Angela Wilkinson, disclosed this in a statement, last Thursday.
“Nigeria’s participation comes at a pivotal time as the country seeks to expand energy access, strengthen energy security, accelerate gas development and mobilise the capital required for industrialisation and sustainable economic growth.
“WEC Nigeria will convene leaders from across the energy ecosystem, apply the WEC’s globally recognised Energy Trilemma framework to Nigeria’s unique context, and promote evidence-based dialogue, practical collaboration and informed policymaking.
“It will also ensure that Nigerian and broader African perspectives contribute meaningfully to global energy conversations,” she said.
Wilkinson expressed confidence that Nigeria would play a significant leadership role at the World Energy Congress scheduled for Riyadh in April 2027 and beyond.
The statement also quoted the Chairman of WEC Nigeria, Isa, as describing the country’s participation as an opportunity to deepen national and African leadership within the global energy community through practical solutions tailored to regional development priorities.
He said the platform would promote collaboration across sectors and attract sustainable investments into Nigeria’s energy sector.
The Chief Executive Officer of WEC Nigeria, Wunti, was quoted in the statement as saying that the council would connect leadership, evidence and investment to build a secure, affordable and sustainable energy system.
“This system will be capable of driving economic growth and shared prosperity.”
According to him, the platform will also connect Nigerian institutions and businesses with international knowledge, technology, partnerships and investment opportunities through the World Energy Council’s global network.
Recall that WEC, founded in 1923, is the world’s oldest independent and impartial community of energy leaders and practitioners, advancing informed, collaborative and practical action across the global energy system.