The Federal Government will begin disbursing interest-free loans to smallholder farmers and business owners nationwide before the end of 2025, the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP) has announced.
National Programme Manager, Hamza Ibrahim Baba, disclosed this on Friday during an engagement with traders’ associations and other stakeholders in Kaduna State’s informal business sector.
According to him, beneficiaries under the FarmerMoni scheme will receive up to ₦100,000 each to support poultry, aquaculture, livestock, and crop production.
“Beneficiaries will enjoy a six-month moratorium to enable them to produce before repayment begins. The funds will help them acquire fertilisers, livestock, veterinary drugs, and other critical inputs,” Baba said.
He explained that GEEP—domiciled under the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation—is one of the flagship initiatives of the National Social Investment Programme (NSIP). It provides collateral-free, interest-free loans to petty traders, artisans, micro-enterprises, youth entrepreneurs, and farmers to drive financial inclusion and business growth.
The programme runs three schemes:
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TraderMoni – for youths aged 18–45 in petty trading.
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MarketMoni – focused on women in small-scale businesses.
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FarmerMoni – designed for rural farmers.
“These are not grants, but loans without interest. The goal is to help Nigerians at the bottom of the pyramid improve their businesses, join the formal financial system, and ultimately create jobs,” Baba added.
He noted that loans under GEEP range from ₦5,000 to ₦100,000, structured with monitoring and evaluation to ensure sustainability.
Baba urged traders’ associations and cooperatives to collaborate with GEEP Desk Officers and field enumerators across the 774 LGAs to guarantee transparency and ensure the support reaches genuine beneficiaries.
“The success of this programme depends on proper targeting. We want to reach those who truly need support, not those seeking to take advantage of the system,” he stressed.
Baba further assured that the Tinubu administration remained committed to expanding GEEP, with the 2025 pilot phase for farmers serving as the foundation for a broader rollout in 2026.
He acknowledged the contributions of previous administrations since GEEP’s inception in 2016 and highlighted ongoing reforms aimed at improving accountability. The scheme also works in synergy with other NSIP components such as the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme, Conditional Cash Transfer, and Grants for Vulnerable Groups, all designed to reduce poverty and improve livelihoods nationwide.
Some market leaders and stakeholders at the event commended the initiative. A beneficiary, Hauwa Musa, said the support had transformed her business, while another participant, Mallam Umar Usman, expressed hope of being included in the upcoming GEEP 3.0 phase.
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