Abia State has started screening farmers for loans capped at N300,000, with a 20-day on-site enumeration planned to assess candidates for the interest-free, collateral-free financing, BusinessDay reported Wednesday.
The National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA) has completed online checks for 1,160 farmers in Abia, Ngozi Felix, the state's commissioner for poverty alleviation and social protection, said. Officials are to visit all 17 local government areas during the upcoming exercise, recording applicants' farming activities and confirming information for further review. The report said farmers must be registered and have verified details to qualify for enumeration.
Ibrahim Baba, national coordinator of the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP), said FarmerMoni is intended for smaller farmers who struggle to access conventional bank services. It is one of GEEP's three lending channels, alongside TraderMoni and MarketMoni, which provide microloans to economically vulnerable Nigerians, according to the report.
Baba said qualifying farmers in crop production, livestock, fisheries and poultry may borrow up to N300,000 without interest or collateral. The money can go toward seeds, animal feed and other supplies for farm operations, he said.
The funds must be repaid. Baba said recipients are expected to begin repayment six to nine months after disbursement, with repayments returning to a pool for future borrowers.
Felix said a shortage of affordable financing has constrained farmers seeking to expand production. Baba said Abia's separate agricultural support program had reached more than 18,634 farmers by July 2026, describing that reach as a base for FarmerMoni's rollout.
Local-government desk officers received tablets and power banks to gather information in the field. GEEP South-East coordinator Ifeoma Mba urged the officers to carry out the work diligently, while state program manager Ucheoma Udor emphasized accurate checks and reaching eligible farmers across Abia, BusinessDay reported.
