FIRST TRUSTEES CALLS FOR STRONGER STRUCTURES IN FARM FINANCING

First Trustees Limited has called for stronger governance, clearer responsibilities and better risk allocation to support sustainable financing in Nigeria’s agricultural sector.

The company’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Ereifemi Akeredolu, made the call at the maiden Commercial Trust Colloquium organised by First Trustees in Lagos. The event focused on developing sustainable financing models beyond government intervention funds.

Akeredolu said access to capital alone was not enough to guarantee sustainable growth in agriculture, noting that investors were more willing to provide funds when risks were clearly understood and transaction structures were reliable.

She said trust institutions could contribute by establishing accountability, protecting the interests of parties involved in transactions and ensuring that agreed obligations were fulfilled.

Participants at the colloquium examined alternative financing models for agriculture, including risk allocation, productivity, agricultural value chains and ways to attract long-term private-sector investment.

The discussions also focused on how viable businesses across the agricultural value chain could access sustainable funding beyond traditional government intervention programmes.

Akeredolu said stronger financing structures could help create an environment capable of attracting more private capital into the sector.

First Trustees also used the event to unveil an upgraded digital platform designed to digitise some of its trust-service processes and reduce paperwork and documentation requirements.