Stakeholders Urge Innovative Finance, Digital Tools In Agribusiness

Some major players in the agriculture sector have called for the adoption of innovative finance and digital tools to drive small-scale and large agribusinesses.

They spoke at the 2025 Agricultural Youth Summit jointly organised by the Leventis Foundation Nigeria (LFN) and the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Abuja.

The speakers at the event emphasised innovative finance and digital tools in boosting agribusiness productivity, youth empowerment and national food security.

The executive director of Leventis Foundation Nigeria, Dr Hope Usieta, said improving access to agricultural finance and modern digital innovations was crucial for enhancing productivity, especially among smallholder farmers who cultivate over 80 percent of farmland in developing countries.

In a statement issued on Sunday after the summit, Usieta said, “Improving access to financial services provided by banks and other institutions, especially to smallholders, is an important driver for enhancing agricultural investment and productivity.”

He told the participants, who included youths at the third edition of the summit, that Leventis Foundation remained committed to building the capacity and providing opportunities for young Nigerians and farmers to increase productivity, scale their agribusinesses, and improve their livelihoods.

“Our strategy in the agricultural sector has been to present youths and farmers with opportunities and innovations that improve their productivity, scale their agribusinesses, and increase incomes,” he said.

While acknowledging progress made through several interventions, Usieta stressed that significant challenges remain, particularly in access to agri-finance and farmers’ preparedness to receive funding.

“Despite various interventions in the agricultural sector, there’s no doubt that challenges still abound. Hence there’s a critical need to do more to advance the needed solutions,” he said.

Usieta commended the partnership between LFN and NYSC under the Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme, which had given more young Nigerians the opportunity to acquire agricultural skills.

The director-general of NYSC, Brigadier General Olufemi Nafiu, represented by the director of Ventures Management, Mr Abe Dankaro, said agribusiness remains a key path to tackling unemployment and food insecurity in Nigeria.

“Nigeria, like many nations across the world, is confronted with the dual challenge of high youth unemployment and growing concerns over food security. Yet, in every challenge lies an opportunity. Today, that opportunity is agribusiness,” he said.

Nafiu praised Leventis Foundation for its long-standing contribution to agricultural education and youth empowerment, noting that the collaboration between both institutions since 2021 had produced visible results.

“Through this partnership, corps members have been exposed to modern agricultural training, internships, and agribusiness development programmes at LFN’s renowned agricultural schools located across the country,” he said.

The chairman of Leventis Foundation Nigeria, Alhaji Ahmed Manti, said the summit offered a platform for dialogue, innovation, and policy alignment to unlock Nigeria’s agribusiness potential.

“This gathering reflects a shared commitment to one of the most pressing issues of our time: the empowerment of Nigerian youth through sustainable agriculture and agribusiness development,” he said.

Manti stated that the Leventis Foundation had trained and equipped over 31,000 young Nigerians with modern agricultural and entrepreneurial skills.

He added that the foundation recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Abuja Enterprise Agency to provide business development services for its trainees and alumni.

He emphasised that building resilience in agribusiness means empowering young people to innovate and persevere through challenges.