NADF Sets to Boost Agricultural Funding with Non-interest Finance

The National Agricultural Development Fund has commenced the validation of its proposed Non-Interest Finance Framework and Guidelines to widen access to agricultural financing and support the Federal Government’s food security objectives.
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This was contained in a statement issued by NADF on Tuesday following a Strategic Roundtable and Validation Session on the proposed framework and guidelines.

According to the statement, the initiative is aimed at ensuring that farmers, agribusinesses and other players across the agricultural value chain have access to diverse and innovative financing options.

The Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer of NADF, Mohammed Ibrahim, said non-interest finance had become an important component of Nigeria’s financial system, providing ethical, asset-backed and risk-sharing financing models that complemented conventional finance.

“Our objective is not simply to introduce another financing framework. It is to broaden the financing ecosystem for agriculture by ensuring that every credible financing option is available to Nigerian farmers, agribusinesses, and other value chain actors,” Ibrahim said.

According to the statement, the proposed framework would provide a structured and transparent basis for delivering agricultural interventions through licensed non-interest financial institutions while institutionalising governance, operational and Shari’ah compliance standards.

Ibrahim said the documents were deliberately presented as drafts to allow stakeholders to scrutinise them and contribute their expertise before finalisation.

“Today’s gathering marks an important milestone in that journey,” he said, urging participants to examine the draft documents critically, challenge assumptions where necessary and share practical experiences.

The statement quoted the Director of the Development Finance Advisory Department of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Dr Paul Oluikpe, as saying that significant work remained to be done to improve access to agricultural finance in Nigeria.

Oluikpe welcomed the proposed non-interest finance framework, describing it as an opportunity to bring an often-overlooked dimension of agricultural financing into the mainstream.

Also speaking, the Deputy Chairman of the CBN’s Financial Regulation Advisory Council of Experts, Professor Bashir Aliyu Umar, said the proposed framework was consistent with efforts to promote financial inclusion and expand access to finance.

“What we are witnessing today is also following this trajectory of financial inclusion and easing access to finance and having a level playing field and even developmental perspective for the whole country whereby no segment of society is left out,” he said.

NADF

Providing an overview of the initiative, NADF’s Head of Investment, Olalekan Alabi, said the framework and guidelines were designed to establish a structured mechanism for deploying non-interest financing to eligible agricultural activities and value-chain interventions.

“Together, the Framework and Guidelines are expected to provide clarity on how NADF’s non-interest financing interventions will be structured, assessed, approved, implemented, monitored and reported,” Alabi said.

He added, “We are not here simply to confirm that the documents have been prepared. We are here to test their technical robustness and practical applicability.”

Alabi said stakeholders were expected to identify gaps, inconsistencies, overlaps and provisions requiring further clarification before the documents were finalised.

“Our objective is to have a set of Framework and Guidelines that are clear, technically sound, operationally practical, appropriately governed and capable of supporting NADF’s non-interest agricultural financing interventions,” he said.

The statement said the validation session brought together representatives of government institutions and regulatory agencies, development partners, non-interest finance experts, financial institutions and other stakeholders in the agricultural and financial sectors.
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Wike Promises Abuja Residents Road Projects as Tinubu’s Christmas Gift

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has promised to deliver ongoing road projects in Abuja by December, describing them as a Christmas gift from President Bola Tinubu to residents.
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Wike made the promise in Abuja on Tuesday after inspecting ongoing construction works on Arterial Road NI, from Wuye to Ring Road II; Tungan Madaki to Zuba Road; and Zaudna-Kaba-Kagini to the Kubwa Expressway.

This was disclosed in a statement posted on X by the minister’s aide, Lere Olayinka.

Speaking after assessing the pace and quality of the projects, Wike expressed satisfaction with the progress of work and commended the contractors for their commitment to meeting the completion timelines.

“I’m very impressed with the jobs so far, and I’m also impressed with the commitment of the contractors.

“We have promised the residents that this will be their Christmas gift by Mr President as part of their Christmas gift so that they’ll go back home and enjoy their Christmas celebration.

“You can imagine the happiness of those who stay here. You know that with these roads the economy of the affected communities will change,” he said.

Wike said the completion of the roads would ease transportation difficulties and boost economic activities in the affected communities.

“When you see a rural area like this, it makes us very happy when the people are happy and of course, that’s the essence of good governance,” Wike added.

The minister acknowledged that rainfall had slowed some earthworks but expressed confidence that the contractors would accelerate construction as the rainy season subsided.

“I believe that from the first week of October, the rains will not be much again, and you will see how they will continue with earthworks,” he said.

Wike also urged residents to support Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election and back former FCT minister, Philip Aduda, for the Senate.

Addressing residents of Tungan Shanu village along the Tungan Madaki to Zuba Road corridor, Wike said, “We will push the contractor to deliver the road by December so that you’ll be happy. That is what the President is doing for you.

“The president said this road will be a Christmas gift for all of you. So, when the election comes too, don’t forget to vote for Tinubu and Aduda,” he said.

Speaking to residents of Kaba along the Kagini to Kubwa Expressway corridor, the minister said, “I’m happy that you people are happy that this road will be completed in December.

Wike

“I came here with the man that will represent you well in the Senate and that is Sen. Philip Aduda. He’s the one who will connect you directly with Tinubu.

“So, I hope all of you will vote for Tinubu and Aduda.”

Wike has repeatedly declared his support for Tinubu’s re-election in 2027, while saying the Rainbow Coalition he supports is focused on mobilising support for the President.
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US President Trump Lists 25 Achievements of First 20 Months in Office

President Donald Trump has listed 25 achievements he said his administration had recorded since returning to office in January 2025.
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Trump made the claims in a post on his Truth Social platform on Friday, where he highlighted his administration’s policies on immigration, taxes, trade, crime, defence, energy, education and foreign affairs.

Among the achievements listed by the US president were what he described as the “most secure border in history”, the signing of the Laken Riley Act and what he called the largest drop in the US murder rate in history.

Below is the full list:

Achieved the most secure border in history – ZERO illegal aliens admitted to the United States in the past 16 months.
Signed the Laken Riley Act to get dangerous criminal aliens off our streets.
Achieved the largest drop in the murder rate EVER recorded, to the lowest level in 125 years-since 1900.
Signed the largest tax cuts in American History – the Great Big Beautiful Bill-including No Tax on Tips, No Tax on Overtime, and No Tax on Social Security for our great seniors.

Secured commitments for $19.2 trillion dollars of new investment in the United States.
Imposed historic tariffs to bring back American Manufacturing – including 50% tariffs on foreign copper, aluminum, and steel, and 25% tariffs on foreign automobiles.
The stock market has set 80 all-time record highs since the election.

More Americans are working today than at any time in the history of our country.
Made the largest-ever investment in the United States Armed Forces- $1 trillion dollars this year, and hopefully $1.5 trillion next year.
Captured and brought to justice the outlaw dictator of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro, through Operation Absolute Resolve.

Obliterated Iran’s nuclear enrichment capacity with Operation Midnight Hammer and Operation Epic Fury to ensure Iran will NEVER have a nuclear weapon.
Conducted numerous successful military strikes to smash the drug cartels operating in our hemisphere-brought the flow of deadly fentanyl across our border down by a record 60%.

Secured Most Favoured Nation agreements to reduce the cost of many prescription drugs by price differences of 300, 400, 500, and 600 percent.
Terminated the Green New Scam, declared a National Energy Emergency, and began to Drill, Baby, Drill.
Ended the insane Electric Vehicle Mandate and other crippling regulations on American Automobiles.

American Exports have soared to the highest level in American history-we are on track to export an unprecedented $2.5 TRILLION dollars in goods this year alone.
17 Abolished all discriminatory “Diversity, Equity, Inclusion” (DEI) policies throughout the federal government and private sector.
Banned MEN from playing in women’s sports.
Banned transgender ideology and critical race theory in our schools.

Trump

Launched Trump Accounts – tax free investment accounts for every American child, starting with $1,000 for every newborn child.
Settled 8 raging wars with historic peace deals in our first 12 months- including the War in Gaza.

Got all living hostages returned to their families, both living and dead.
Halted all refugee admissions to the United States, including from Somalia and other dangerous places.
Deployed National Guard to restore Law and Order to Washington, D.C., Memphis, and New Orleans.
Made English the Official Language of the United States.

The list comes as the Trump administration continues to promote its record ahead of the 2026 US midterm elections.
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