First City Monument Bank (FCMB) and Mastercard have launched AgroPass, a digital platform designed to expand access to finance, markets and agricultural services for smallholder farmers across Nigeria.
The platform, developed by Mastercard, connects farmers with input suppliers, buyers, lenders, agribusinesses, and other participants in the agricultural value chain, aiming to strengthen financial inclusion and improve productivity in one of Nigeria’s most important economic sectors.
Speaking at the launch event in Lagos, Yemisi Edun, Managing Director, FCMB, represented by Obaro Odeghe, Executive Director, Wholesale Banking, said: “Supporting farmers means more than offering credit. It is about building connections to finance, markets, technology, knowledge and opportunity. AgroPass is a platform that empowers farmers to become more productive, resilient and commercially successful. By bridging critical gaps across the value chain, we can help build a more sustainable future for agriculture.”
Edun said FCMB provided more than 364.6 billion naira ($236 million) in financing to Nigeria’s agricultural sector last year and supported more than 196,000 smallholder farmers nationwide. Nearly half of the beneficiaries were women and young people.
Executive Vice President, Growth Segments, Mastercard, Tara Nathan said: “Smallholder farmers are at the heart of food systems, rural livelihoods and economic growth across Africa, yet many remain disconnected from the services and opportunities that can help them thrive. AgroPass is designed to bridge those gaps by connecting farmers to financial services, suppliers, buyers and digital tools that support productivity and resilience. Through our collaboration with FCMB, we are helping create a more connected agricultural ecosystem where farmers can build stronger businesses, participate more fully in the economy and unlock new opportunities for growth.”