British International Investment backs Babban Gona with $7.5m to support 140,000 farmers, tackle food insecurity, and strengthen climate resilience by 2029

British International Investment Babban Gona partnership has taken a major step forward as the UK’s development finance institution announced a $7.5 million debt investment to support smallholder farmers in northern Nigeria.

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The funding aims to boost food security, improve yields, and enhance climate resilience across the region.

Unveiled at a media parley in Lagos, the investment reflects BII’s strategy of deploying catalytic capital into transformative, tech-enabled businesses that deliver meaningful impact at scale.

The recipient, Babban Gona, is a leading agri-tech enterprise known for its AI-powered, end-to-end platform that provides farmers with access to inputs, credit, training, storage, and markets.

According to BII’s West Africa Regional Director, Benson Adenuga, the British International Investment Babban Gona initiative will support approximately 140,000 farmers by 2029, improving both incomes and productivity.

He praised Babban Gona’s franchise model, which empowers successful farmers to run micro-enterprises and create a self-sustaining finance ecosystem.

“This partnership reflects our commitment to using catalytic funding to bridge critical gaps in underserved markets,” said Adenuga.

“Through this, we aim to strengthen food systems, enable resilience, and transform agriculture in northern Nigeria.”

UK Trade Envoy to Nigeria, Florence Eshalomi, also commended the development, describing it as a milestone in the UK-Nigeria economic relationship.

She said the investment is a vote of confidence in Nigeria’s agricultural potential and the role of innovation in scaling sustainable impact.

“From small beginnings to this moment, Babban Gona is a shining example of what long-term, strategic investment can achieve. The British International Investment Babban Gona journey is far from over,” she added.

For Babban Gona Managing Director Kola Masha, the new funding marks a return to trusted partners.

“The UK was our first institutional backer in 2013. Now, a decade later, BII is investing 10 times more. That speaks volumes about our shared vision for transforming lives through agriculture,” he said.

Babban Gona’s platform addresses major barriers in Nigerian agriculture — low access to finance, poor mechanisation, and climate volatility.

It is helping to cut post-harvest losses, which currently reach 30 percent, and offering farmers better access to markets and services.

With British International Investment Babban Gona collaboration expanding, the project is expected to play a pivotal role in supporting Nigeria’s food systems and rural economies, especially in the largely underserved northern region.

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This announcement comes as BII revealed it had invested £1.09 billion in African companies in 2024 alone, reinforcing its commitment to sustainable and inclusive development across the continent.