BII commits US$7.5 million to strengthen AI-driven farming in Nigeria

NIGERIA – Nigerian agri-tech company Babban Gona has secured $7.5 million from British International Investment (BII) to expand its farmer support model across the northern region.

The UK development finance institution announced the deal on Tuesday, September 2, 2025.

The investment will help smallholder farmers who supply more than half of Nigeria’s maize but face persistent challenges including food insecurity, limited financing, and worsening weather shocks.

“This investment will contribute to the development of an innovative, technology-enabled model that provides farmers with access to finance, training, and services, thereby increasing their yields and incomes while strengthening their climate resilience,” said Florence Eshalomi, MP and UK Trade Envoy to Nigeria.

Babban Gona’s approach rests on a franchise system that identifies high-performing farmers, trains them to run agricultural microenterprises, and links them to financing through local banks.

The company says this structure not only raises productivity but also creates local leaders who drive economic growth within their communities.

The goal is to reach 140,000 smallholder farmers in northern Nigeria by 2029, supporting them to raise yields, improve incomes, and manage the risks linked to changing weather patterns.

Kola Masha, Managing Director of Babban Gona, described the new investment as a milestone for the company.

“The UK government has played a pivotal role in our story, becoming the first institutional investor in our public debt fundraising in 2013. Now, just over a decade later, BII’s commitment of ten times that amount is a powerful testament to our shared vision of improving the lives of smallholder farmers,” he said.

Nigeria’s agricultural sector contributes about 22% of the country’s GDP and employs nearly 38% of the workforce. Analysts note that investments like this provide much-needed capital to strengthen the sector and improve living standards in rural areas.

BII’s announcement follows a growing pattern of development finance flowing into African agriculture. In Kenya, for instance, the University of Nairobi recently worked with FreshGuard Technologies to train farmers on post-harvest handling and cooling methods to reduce losses.

Such programs highlight how both investment and training are being prioritized to support food security and rural incomes.

By investing in Babban Gona’s technology-driven model, the UK government and its development finance arm reaffirm their commitment to strengthening farming systems in Nigeria.

For thousands of farmers across the north, this support could mark the difference between vulnerability and long-term stability in the years ahead.

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