Sterling Bank Plc, Nigeria’s leading commercial bank, has reassured stakeholders in the agricultural value chain of its steady and unwavering support by pledging to partner with operators that are committed to the development of the sector in the country.
Group Head, Agric and Solid Minerals, Sterling Bank, Mrs. Bukola Awosanya, disclosed this at the virtual Agriculture Summit Africa (ASA) held recently in Lagos and Abuja concurrently with the theme: Fast Forward Agriculture: Exploiting the Next Revolution.
She said the Bank will also provide advisory services and help farmers to develop their businesses in a way that their financial transactions and businesses improve profitability.
“Our goal is to ensure that the farmers experience minimal or no post-harvest losses by linking them directly with off-takers at the best prices for their produce,” Awosanya said. She explained that digital solutions already developed by the Bank will enable farmers to have access to outlets where they can sell their produce at best prices.
She stated that the Bank had done a lot in the agricultural space such as pioneering the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme and partnering with the Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL) to provide finance, advocacy and capacity building to farmers in a bid to ensure food security in the country.
In a keynote address, Dr. Kwesi Atta-Krah, Director of Advocacy and Country Alignment in the office of the IITA Director-General, reiterated the need for private sector to partner with governments for agriculture to move forward on the continent.