By Mercy Aikoye
The House of Representatives is set to investigate the alleged non-release of N174.26 billion in agricultural intervention funds.
The Committee on Agricultural Production and Services has urged Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and development partners to fully cooperate with the probe.
Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Bello Ka’oje, stated that the investigation is in line with the House’s resolution to probe development partner-funded agricultural projects.
“The Committee was specifically mandated to investigate the circumstances surrounding the non-release of the N174.26 billion intervention funds,” he said.
The lawmaker disclosed that Nigeria negotiated a $134 million loan with the African Development Bank in February 2023 to support the National Agricultural Growth Scheme–Agro Pocket (NAGS-AP) Project. A balance of N55.30 billion remains outstanding for disbursement to agro-dealers.
Hon. Ka’oje also revealed that 15 billion Japanese Yen was secured from the Japan International Cooperation Agency in April 2024 as a Food Security Emergency Support Loan. The first tranche of 12 billion Yen (N118.96 billion) was disbursed in March 2025 but is yet to be released to implementing agencies.
The delayed release of funds has caused farmers to miss planting seasons, leading to reduced output in the 2025 harvest and posing significant risks to the 2026 farming season.
“The funds are time-bound, and delayed release has already caused farmers to miss planting seasons,” Hon. Ka’oje said.
The lawmaker warned that about $200 million in additional AfDB funding under a Result-Based Financing arrangement could also be jeopardised due to non-implementation of earlier interventions.
