First City Monument Bank (FCMB) and Mastercard have launched AgroPass, a digital platform designed to connect smallholder farmers across Nigeria with financing, agricultural inputs, buyers and essential services to improve productivity and strengthen financial inclusion.
Launched in Lagos on 15 October 2026, AgroPass was developed by Mastercard in partnership with FCMB, combining the technology company’s digital capabilities with the bank’s extensive network and presence in farming communities.
The initiative aims to address persistent challenges facing smallholder farmers, including limited access to affordable credit, quality agricultural inputs, reliable buyers and technical support. By connecting farmers with lenders, suppliers, agribusinesses, processors, distributors and exporters, the platform seeks to strengthen relationships across the agricultural value chain.
Speaking at the launch, FCMB Managing Director Yemisi Edun, represented by Obaro Odeghe, the bank’s Executive Director of Wholesale Banking, emphasised that agricultural development requires more than access to loans.
“Supporting farmers means more than offering credit. It is about building connections to finance, markets, technology, knowledge and opportunity,” she said.
Edun explained that AgroPass is intended to help farmers become more productive, resilient and commercially successful by addressing gaps that prevent them from accessing the resources and services needed to grow their businesses.
She also disclosed that FCMB provided more than ₦364.6 billion in financing to Nigeria’s agricultural sector in 2025, supporting over 196,000 smallholder farmers nationwide. Nearly half of the beneficiaries were women and young people, highlighting the bank’s efforts to expand access to agricultural finance among groups that play important roles in rural economies.
Despite agriculture’s significant contribution to Nigeria’s economy and employment, many smallholder farmers continue to face difficulties securing affordable financing, obtaining quality seeds and other inputs, reaching dependable markets and accessing technical knowledge. These challenges can limit production, reduce profitability and restrict opportunities for business expansion.
FCMB’s value-chain financing approach extends support beyond individual farmers to include seed companies, input suppliers, processors, distributors and exporters. The bank’s Divisional Head of Agribusiness and Non-Oil Exports, Kudzai Gumunyu, said the approach was helping improve agricultural productivity, increase exports and create economic opportunities in rural communities.
Mastercard’s Executive Vice President for Growth Segments, Tara Nathan, said smallholder farmers remained central to Africa’s food systems, rural livelihoods and economic growth but were frequently disconnected from the services and opportunities needed to develop their businesses.
She explained that AgroPass was designed to connect farmers with financial services, suppliers, buyers and digital tools that could support productivity and resilience. Through its partnership with FCMB, Mastercard aims to create a more connected agricultural ecosystem in which farmers can strengthen their businesses, participate more fully in the economy and access new growth opportunities.
The platform is expected to improve the visibility and transparency of agricultural transactions while helping farmers establish commercial relationships, coordinate activities and explore new markets. It could also create opportunities for agricultural micro, small and medium-sized enterprises by connecting input suppliers and service providers with a wider network of potential customers.
The launch forms part of FCMB and Mastercard’s broader efforts to advance financial inclusion, strengthen food security and support sustainable rural development through technology and partnerships.
However, the platform’s impact will depend on its accessibility to farmers, the participation of lenders and buyers, and whether digital connections translate into affordable financing and actual sales. Details regarding the initial number of farmers to be served, the rollout timetable and specific financing targets have not been publicly disclosed in the launch reports.
If effectively implemented, AgroPass could help Nigerian farmers overcome longstanding barriers to finance and market access while supporting more resilient agricultural businesses and stronger rural economies.
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