Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Commercial farmers in Cross River State have levelled serious accusations against the Bank of Agriculture, alleging that the institution has consistently failed to fulfil its statutory mandate of providing accessible credit and agricultural support to genuine farmers. The farmers, including the immediate past Chairman of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) in the state, Chief Ilem Nathaniel, and a commercial fish farmer, Capt. Agba Ukel (retd.), expressed deep frustration over what they described as decades of exclusion from the bank's intervention programmes despite repeated applications.
The farmers' grievances centre on the Bank of Agriculture's role as the primary conduit for federal agricultural interventions. They argue that the bank's centralised structure and cumbersome processes have systematically locked out smallholder and commercial farmers who lack the connections or resources to navigate its bureaucratic maze. Chief Nathaniel, who has been a vocal advocate for farmers' rights in the state, said that many genuine farmers have been unable to access loans and other intervention programmes despite meeting eligibility requirements. He argued that the situation has forced many farmers to abandon their agricultural pursuits or turn to exploitative commercial lenders with prohibitive interest rates, a development that he warned could have grave implications for food security.
The allegations echo concerns raised by the Coalition of Nigerian Farmers' Groups, which recently expressed growing dissatisfaction over the Federal Government's decision to channel virtually all agricultural intervention funds, grants, and programmes through the Bank of Agriculture. Speaking at a press conference in Abuja, Moukhtar Mohammed, the Special Assistant to the National President of the Coalition of Farmers Associations of Nigeria (COFAN), said the centralisation of agricultural financing has created significant challenges undermining the objectives of the interventions. He cited limited accessibility, noting that a large number of farmers, particularly those in rural communities, have limited access to Bank of Agriculture branches and services. Many farmers travel long distances at considerable cost only to face delays, bureaucratic bottlenecks, and administrative hurdles. Similarly, a high level of illiteracy among local farmers and inadequate internet connectivity make it difficult for many rural farmers to open and operate the mandatory accounts required by the bank. The coalition also pointed to slow disbursement of funds and inputs, arguing that agricultural activities are highly time-sensitive and that delays in accessing financing, inputs, seeds, fertilisers, and other support services often result in farmers missing critical planting windows, thereby reducing productivity and affecting national food output.
In Cross River, the situation appears particularly acute. A report by the ICIR had earlier highlighted that only 6,000 out of an estimated 15,000 farmers in the state were enlisted in a federal agricultural scheme, with the state's Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Professor Egrinya Eneji, attributing the low participation to the Bank of Agriculture's lack of capacity to deliver effectively. This assessment appears to align with the farmers' current complaints.
The Bank of Agriculture, which was established in 1972 as the Nigerian Agricultural Bank, has remained Nigeria's foremost agricultural development finance institution despite several structural changes over the decades. The bank has recently announced a broad reform agenda to modernise agricultural financing, expand financial inclusion in rural communities, and strengthen support for Nigeria's food security drive. As part of this overhaul, the bank introduced a new digital verification framework that combines Bank Verification Number checks, Know Your Customer protocols, and GPS farm mapping to ensure loans and farm inputs reach genuine farmers while eliminating fraudulent beneficiaries. However, the farmers in Cross River contend that these reforms have yet to translate into tangible improvements on the ground.
The Federal Government has also inaugurated a new Board of Directors for the Bank of Agriculture, charging the members to reposition the institution as the country's leading vehicle for agricultural financing and the delivery of food security initiatives. The newly inaugurated board comprises Alhaji Muhammad Babangida as Chairman and Mr Ayodeji Oludare Sotinrin as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer. The farmers, however, remain sceptical, arguing that without a fundamental shift in the bank's operational culture and a genuine commitment to decentralising agricultural finance, the reforms will fail to address the deep-seated challenges facing farmers in Cross River and across the country.
As the farmers await a response from the Bank of Agriculture, the stakes could not be higher. With Nigeria facing a looming food crisis and millions of farmers struggling to access the credit and inputs they need to sustain production, the failure of the Bank of Agriculture to fulfil its mandate could have devastating consequences for the nation's food security. For farmers like Chief Ilem Nathaniel and Capt. Agba Ukel, the question is simple: how long must they wait before the bank that was created to serve them finally delivers on its promise?
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