Ecobank, AGRA to secure agribusinesses and farmers

In a move to unlock easy financial access for agribusinesses and farmer organisations, Ecobank Group and AGRA have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) that can potentially shape Africa’s agricultural ecosystem

Agricultural financing, commercialisation and climate resilience remain key challenges for Africa, and the MoU combines Ecobank’s extensive pan-African banking network and AGRA’s deep expertise in agricultural transformation to address them. Risk-sharing facilities, guarantees and blended finance mechanisms will be put in place to meet the challenges of climate change, and secure resilient agrisolutions. While Ecobank will offer tailored financial solutions, including working capital, asset finance, and trade finance, AGRA will provide funding support, beneficiary mobilisation, and technical assistance to enhance the financial literacy, governance, and investment readiness of agribusiness SMEs and cooperatives.

Anup Suri, group executive commercial and consumer banking, Ecobank Group, said, "To transform Africa's economy, we must treat agriculture as a high-growth commercial sector rather than a subsistence activity. Through this strategic alliance with AGRA, Ecobank is unlocking the massive capital required to scale agribusinesses across the continent. We are de-risking the sector, backing women and youth entrepreneurs, and building a resilient food system that will power Africa's next decade of growth."

Alice Ruhweza, president - AGRA, said, "Agriculture is not one sector among many for Africa; it is the foundation on which the continent's entire development agenda rests. As African leaders advance the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) strategy for the decade ahead, this partnership with Ecobank translates that ambition into action. AGRA, working with its partners, has over the last twenty years established evidence, value chain knowledge, and on-the-ground insight into the opportunities for women and young people to build agribusinesses that thrive. Pairing that expertise with Ecobank's reach and capabilities is how we make the case, credibly and concretely, that African food systems are one of the most compelling opportunities of our time."