FG to Begin Disbursement of Loans to Farmers & Businesses - GEEP Grant
The Federal Government has announced that it will begin the disbursement of interest-free loans to smallholder farmers and business owners across Nigeria before the end of 2025.
- The National Programme Manager of the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP), Hamza Ibrahim Baba, disclosed this on Friday during an engagement with traders’ associations and other stakeholders in Kaduna State’s informal business sector.
According to Baba, the loans of up to N100,000 per beneficiary are part of the FarmerMoni scheme under GEEP, designed to support small-scale farmers in poultry, aquaculture, livestock rearing, and crop production.
- He explained that the initiative is meant to boost the capacity of farmers and help them access critical resources.
- “This pilot phase will support farmers nationwide, small-scale business owners including Kaduna State,” he said.
- "Beneficiaries will enjoy a six-month moratorium to enable them to produce before beginning repayment.
- The funds will help them acquire inputs such as fertilisers, livestock, veterinary drugs, and other critical tools.”
He urged traders’ associations and cooperatives to cooperate with GEEP Desk Officers and field enumerators in Nigeria’s 774 local government areas to guarantee that the loans reach the right beneficiaries.
“The success of this programme depends on transparency and proper targeting. We want to reach those who truly need support, not those looking to take advantage of the system,” he stated.
- Baba also assured stakeholders that the Tinubu administration is committed to expanding the reach of GEEP schemes, adding that the pilot phase for farmers would serve as the foundation for a broader rollout in 2026.
- He acknowledged the role played by past administrations and ministers in the development of GEEP since its inception in 2016, while also highlighting ongoing reforms to improve delivery and accountability.
- He explained that GEEP works alongside other components of the National Social Investment Programme, such as the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme, Conditional Cash Transfer, and Grants for Vulnerable Groups.
These are all aimed at reducing poverty and improving livelihoods across Nigeria,” he said.
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