The Nigeria Agribusiness Register (NAR) has partnered with Propcom+ and other capital providers to strengthen access to investment for agribusinesses, with a focus on driving food security and economic growth.
The initiative was unveiled at the Agriculture Summit Africa (ASA) Investment Deal Room in Abuja, where agribusinesses were connected with investors, financial institutions, development partners and private-sector actors seeking viable opportunities in the agricultural market.
Mr Nathaniel Odiba, Deal Room and Partnership Manager, NAR, said the initiative, led by NAR as the strategic lead of the Agribusiness Deal Room, was designed to move promising agribusinesses closer to the capital, technical support and market opportunities required to scale.
He said the Deal Room provided a structured platform for businesses to present their enterprises, financing needs and growth plans directly to relevant investors and commercial partners, with engagements expected to continue beyond the summit where viable opportunities emerged.
According to him, the platform combined curated thematic pitch sessions with one-on-one meetings to improve investment readiness and facilitate transactions capable of supporting food production, creating rural jobs and contributing to sustainable economic growth.
Dr Adiya Ode, Country Representative of Propcom+, said limited access to finance was only one of the challenges confronting agribusinesses, noting that businesses also needed to become investment-ready while financiers required adequate information to assess opportunities and financing models suited to agricultural enterprises.
She said Propcom+ supported the ASA Deal Room to strengthen the connection between viable agribusinesses and the financial and commercial opportunities required for expansion.
Ode said the programme was focused on developing a structured market mechanism that could support businesses before, during and after the summit rather than limiting engagement to introductions at the event.
She said the measure of success would extend beyond participation to stronger relationships between agribusinesses and financial or commercial partners, improved investment readiness and increased transactions and private-sector investment across the agricultural market system.
Ode said Propcom+ was an eight-year programme running from 2023 to 2030, supporting rural and agricultural market development as well as climate-resilient and sustainable agriculture and forestry, with interventions designed to deliver benefits for people, climate and nature.
