The Dutch-funded HortiNigeria programme has achieved a major policy milestone with the Federal Government’s approval of a 50 per cent Credit Risk Guarantee (CRG) for tomato crate financing — a move expected to unlock over ₦500 million in special intervention funding for Nigeria’s horticulture sector.
Mohamed Salasi Idris, Country Representative of the International Fertiliser Development Centre (IFDC) and Programme Director of HortiNigeria, disclosed this on Thursday during the 47th Regular Meeting of the National Council on Agriculture and Food Security (NCAFS) at Murtala Square, Kaduna.
He said the rise in CRG coverage from 30 to 75 per cent within a year would boost lender confidence, expand access to credit for agribusinesses, and significantly reduce post-harvest losses in the tomato value chain.