By Joseph Erunke, Abuja

In a renewed effort to boost food production and reduce poverty, the Federal Government has launched an interest-free, collateral-free loan scheme targeting at least 22,000 farmers across the 774 local government areas of the country.

The initiative, under the FarmerMoni Dry and Wet Season Programme, is being implemented by the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA) as part of the Renewed Hope Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP 3.0).

Speaking at the inauguration of Renewed Hope GEEP 3.0 and the FarmerMoni Technical Working Group in Abuja on Wednesday, the National Programme Manager of GEEP, Mr. Hamza Baba, announced that the registration portal for eligible farmers had been opened.

“From today, our portal is open for eligible farmers to register and access these loans. They are interest-free and collateral-free,” Baba said.

He explained that each beneficiary would access up to N300,000, benchmarked against the production cycle of specific farming activities. The scheme is designed for vulnerable and grassroots farmers already engaged in farming, not new entrants.

To qualify, applicants must be Nigerian citizens aged 18 and above, own or rent farmland, possess a bank account and National Identification Number (NIN), have municipal identification, and be members of a registered farming cooperative or association within their local government area.

Baba disclosed that the programme would cover all states, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), with state programme managers collaborating with enumerators, banks, fintech recovery agents, Agricultural Development Projects (ADPs) and farmer associations to ensure smooth implementation.

“We are targeting more than 22,000 farmers in this phase, averaging about 28 farmers per local government,” he said.

He added that while FarmerMoni focuses on farmers, TraderMoni under GEEP 3.0 is structured to support artisans, petty traders and other small-scale entrepreneurs in the informal sector.

Unveiling the Renewed Hope GEEP 3.0 initiative, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr. Bernard Doro, described the launch as a concrete step toward translating President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda into measurable impact.

According to him, the initiative underscores the administration’s commitment to inclusion, resilience and shared prosperity.

“The Renewed Hope Agenda is anchored on ensuring that economic growth is broad-based and people-centred. Renewed Hope GEEP 3.0 is a practical expression of that commitment,” the minister said.

He explained that the programme would provide micro and small-scale entrepreneurs, artisans, traders and informal sector operators with access to affordable financial support to expand their businesses, create jobs and stabilise livelihoods.

“This is financial inclusion made real. It is about bringing those previously excluded from formal financial systems into the economic mainstream,” he added.

On the FarmerMoni scheme, Doro said the intervention was strategically structured to support farmers during both dry and wet planting seasons, reduce seasonal vulnerabilities, boost yields and strengthen national food security.

“Our farmers remain the backbone of the Nigerian economy. Supporting them is not only an economic necessity but a moral obligation,” he said.

He stressed that investing in farmers’ productivity and resilience reinforces agriculture as a sustainable pathway out of poverty and a catalyst for rural development.

According to the minister, both GEEP 3.0 and the FarmerMoni programme are centred on a single objective: poverty reduction through empowerment.