House of Representatives, on Thursday, unveiled plans to investigate non-release of N174.251 billion intervention funds received from Development Partners’ support to National Agriculture Growth Scheme-agro Pocket and Food Security Emergency Support Loan to the implementing Agencies.

The resolution was passed sequel to the adoption of a motion on matter of urgent public importance, sponsored by Hon. Bello Ka’oje who alleged that non-implementation of the agricultural intervention funds already disbursed impeded Nigeria from accessing about $200 million from African Development Bank (AfDB) under the Result Based Financing (RBF).

According to the motion, the House is to investigate the circumstances leading to the non-release of the sum of N55,295,810,075 to the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security/National Agriculture Growth Scheme Agro pocket (NAGS-AP) Project from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation being sums accessed from the African Development Bank (AfDB) to support National Agriculture Growth Scheme Agro-pocket (NAGS-AP) Project.

The House also expressed grave concerns over the circumstances leading to the non-release of the sum of N118,955,186,000 to Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security/National Agriculture Growth Scheme Agro-pocket (NAGS-AP) Project from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation being sums accessed from the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to implement the support for 550,000 smallholder farmers with subsidised critical agricultural inputs for rice, maize, soya beans and cassava value chains under the 2025 wet season and 2025/2026 dry season farming.

In his lead debate, Hon. Ka’oje observed that shortly after his inauguration into office, President Tinubu on Thursday, July 13th, 2023 declared a state of emergency on food security.

“The House is aware that in addition to funding efforts by the Nigerian Government, a lot of agricultural interventions were received through the efforts of several development partners all aimed at boosting agricultural production.

“The House is informed that sometime in February 2023 Nigeria negotiated with the African Development Bank (AfDB) and signed an agree’ent for a 25 year tenor loan to support National Agriculture Growth scheme Agro-pocket Project for an amount not exceeding $134,000,000 million. The first tranche of $99,665,000 was released to the Federal Government Consolidated Account after deducting the Front-End-Fee (FEF) of 0.025%.

“The House is also informed that the Federal Ministry of Finance (FMF) out of the total sum of $134 million disbursed by the African Development Bank (AfDB) released the sums of N55,986,301,549.95 and N40,486,800,000 to the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security/National Agricultural Growth Scheme and Agro Pocket (NAGS-AP) Project account at Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) leaving a balance of N55,295,810,075 outstanding (undisbursed).

“The plan is for the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security/National Agriculture Growth Scheme and Agro-pocket (NAGS-AP) Project to honour its obligations to the agro-dealers that provided agricultural inputs to 280,000 targeted registered wheat farmers under the first phase of the 2024/2025 dry season programme and distribution of agricultural inputs to 150,000 rice farmers under the second phase.

“The House is informed that sometime in April 2024, Nigeria negotiated with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and signed a loan agreement on or about the 24th April, 2024 for a Food Security Emergency Support Loan for an amount not exceeding ¥15 million Japanese Yen.

“The House is further informed that on or about the 25th March, 2025, the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) disbursed the sum of ¥12 billion Japanese Yen, less Front-End-Fee (FEF) of 0.025% equivalent of $78,778,800 which represents N118,955,186,000 only to the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation as the first tranche. The plan is for the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security through the National Agriculture Growth scheme and Agro-pocket (NAGS-AP) Project to implement the support for 550,000 smallholder farmers with subsidized critical agricultural inputs for rice, maize, soya beans and cassava value chains under the 2025 wet season and 2025/2026 dry season farming.

“The House is worried: that the respective funds for farm inputs were time bound for the 2024/2025 dry season farming which has passed, the 2025 wet season which has also passed and the 2025/2026 dry season farming which is currently passing. This ugly situation has left many farmers stranded for critical farm inputs and consequently reduced agricultural output in the 2025 harvests because the affected farmers could not go to farm during the seasons due to non-supply of critical inputs.

“The House is also worried that these funds were accessed from development partners for targeted purposes and despite disbursement to tha Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation, the funds have been unduly withheld from the implementing Ministry/Agency by the Federal Ministry of Finance beyond the timeframe for the utilization of the funds.

“The House is concerned that failure to release these funds for use to boost our agricultural production, the chances are the 2026 farming season will be greatly impacted negatively.

“The House is alarmed that there are currently funds up to about $200 million to be disbursed to Nigeria by the African Development Bank (AfDB) under the Result Based Financing (RBF) but cannot be disbursed due to the non-implementation of the intervention – with the funds already disbursed.

“The House is convinced that there is an urgent need to investigate the circumstances leading to the non-release of these intervention funds from tre Conso dated Revenue Fund of the Federation to the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security/National Agriculture Growth Scheme and Agro-pocket (NAGS-AP) Project Account domiciled in the Central Bank of Nigeria to implement its remaining component advises under the AfDB and commence the implementation of targeted activities under the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Loan Project commencing from the forthcoming 2025/2026 dry and wet season programmes.”

To this end, the House mandated its Committee on Agricultural Production and Services to carry out an investigation into the circumstances leading to the non-releases of the intervention funds and report back to the House within two weeks. (Nigerian Tribune)

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