By Etop Ekanem
Agricultural technology firm, A4S, and investment and project development company, Natari, in partnership with Providus Bank, have reaffirmed their strategic commitment to Nigeria’s agricultural sector with the relaunch of 4Tree in the country.

The initiative, which spans agricultural technology, food production, agro-processing, farmer productivity, women’s economic empowerment, investment and sustainable wealth creation, is aimed at improving agricultural productivity and expanding opportunities across the value chain.

At a press conference in Lagos on Monday, the companies said the relaunch was designed to deepen the application of innovative agricultural technology while supporting farmers with solutions that can improve yields and reduce production costs.

A key component of the initiative is the 4Tree Efficiency Enhancer, an organic ionic plant growth spray designed to help farmers reduce their use of chemical fertilisers by up to 50 per cent while boosting crop yields.

Speaking at the event, Ambassador Afolabi Kehinde Oke, Ambassador of the African 6th Region to Nigeria and ECOWAS, and Nigerian host and strategic partner to A4S and Natari, said the initiative would promote market access, stakeholder engagement, investment facilitation and strategic partnerships.

Oke said the Nigerian relaunch, undertaken through the SheIncluded platform, with the programme led through the Presidential Committee on Economic and Financial Inclusion (PreCEFI) under the Office of the Vice President, forms part of broader efforts to promote economic and financial inclusion, women’s economic empowerment, entrepreneurship, agricultural productivity and access to productive opportunities.

He said: “Our focus is the farmer. Technology has no value if it does not solve a real problem for the person producing the food. 4Tree is designed around plant productivity, but our objective in Nigeria is to demonstrate its value under Nigerian conditions and measure the results.”

He described Nigeria as a strategic market for the agricultural technology initiative, stressing that the country was not merely being used as a testing ground.

“Nigeria is not a test market for A4S — it is an anchor market. We want to invest, build partnerships, work with farmers and create a sustainable agricultural technology ecosystem, with Natari bringing investment and productive projects and Providus Bank bringing the financial ecosystem,” he said.

The partners said the initiative would focus on building practical partnerships around farmers, investment, technology and finance to create a more productive and sustainable agricultural ecosystem in Nigeria.

On the emerging A4S-Natari-Providus Bank model, Dr. Nurudeen Zauro, Technical Adviser to the President on Economic and Financial Inclusion and Executive Secretary of the Presidential Committee on Economic and Financial Inclusion, said the partnership provided an example of an ecosystem approach.

“A4S brings agricultural technology and innovation; Natari brings investment and productive assets; Providus Bank brings financial infrastructure; and strategic partners provide the connections required to translate these capabilities into opportunities within Nigeria,” Zauro said.

He stressed the importance of measurable outcomes, saying the success of the partnership should ultimately be judged by its impact on farmers, businesses, jobs, incomes and investment.

“What is important is that these capabilities must ultimately converge around measurable outcomes. We should be asking how many farmers are reached, how many women-owned enterprises are supported, how productivity improves, how much income is generated, how many jobs are created, how much agricultural value is processed locally and how much additional capital is mobilised.

The partners said they remained committed to developing an integrated agricultural ecosystem that connects technology, finance, investment and productive opportunities to drive sustainable growth across Nigeria’s agricultural value chain”