Alternative Bank expands non-interest agri-finance for women
Alternative Bank is broadening non-interest financing programs for women and youth farmers across Nigeria through risk-sharing arrangements that replace conventional credit models, according to Executive Director Korede Demola-Adeniyi, who addressed the Agriculture Summit Africa gathering in Abuja. The institution deployed tricycles to 120 women in Kano under a pilot addressing rural transportation safety while launching ginger cultivation projects in Kaduna with partnerships designed to stabilize pricing and market access for female producers.
Demola-Adeniyi stated the lender operates through empowered agents maintaining connections with communities beyond branch reach, with plans to introduce a specialized agriculture product before year-end, positioning women and youth as central participants in value chains. The shared-profit framework eliminates traditional loan structures by aligning bank and beneficiary interests in achieving sustainable outcomes across at least five states.
