Bank of Agriculture has opened applications for the 2026/27 dry season under its Renewed Hope Smallholder Support and Value-Chain Fund (RH-SHF). Read the fine print first, though: this is not a grant, and it is not for individual farmers.
It is aimed at farmer aggregator companies that can organise smallholders at scale and deliver crops to buyers.
About the Programme
RH-SHF is a Bank of Agriculture initiative that gives smallholder farmers affordable credit, quality inputs, extension services and guaranteed market off-take. Aggregators sit in the middle, handling farmer mobilisation, input distribution, harvest aggregation and market linkage.
If you are a single farmer, the route is through an eligible aggregator or cooperative, not a direct application.
Benefits
Support comes as financing arrangements plus practical inputs: quality seeds, fertiliser and crop-protection products, irrigation equipment, extension and advisory services, and harvest aggregation with links to buyers.
The published notice gives no interest rate, loan amount, tenor or repayment terms. Ask the bank for these before you commit.
Eligibility Criteria
- CAC-registered farmer aggregator company
- At least three years in aggregation, out-grower management or value-chain coordination
- Annual turnover of at least ₦500 million
- Audited financials for the last three years
- Valid tax clearance and PENCOM, ITF and NSITF compliance
- An established farmer, cluster or cooperative network
- Capacity for input distribution, harvest management, extension, warehousing and logistics
- Registration with relevant agricultural regulators
Documents Needed to Apply
- Application or cover letter
- CAC documents and Memorandum and Articles of Association
- Audited accounts and tax clearances for 2022 to 2024
- PENCOM, ITF and NSITF certificates
- Agricultural registration evidence
- Bank reference letter and one-year bank statement
- Records of similar projects from the last three years
- Warehousing and logistics details
- Production economics for your target cash crops
- NIRSAL letter of intent to guarantee, where required
Label every file clearly and submit as PDF. Your production economics are the part a credit officer will read twice, and a well-built business plan makes that section far easier to defend.
Key Details at a Glance
Programme: Renewed Hope Smallholder Support and Value-Chain Fund 2026/27
Organizer: Bank of Agriculture (BOA)
Eligible location: Nigeria, for CAC-registered farmer aggregator companies
Funding available: Agricultural financing, inputs and advisory support (terms not published)
Application deadline: Reported as 2 November 2026, confirm with the bank
How to Apply
- Read the full requirements on the official RH-SHF page.
- Confirm you meet the turnover, experience and compliance requirements.
- Prepare your documents as clearly labelled PDFs.
- Submit your expression of interest on the BOA aggregator registration portal.
The official page shows no deadline, and a 2 November 2026 date has been reported elsewhere. Call BOA on 0700 220 1230 to confirm before you rely on it.
Final Thoughts
The bar is high, with that ₦500 million turnover and three years of audited accounts. For aggregators who clear it, a bank-backed route to inputs and buyers is hard to beat in the dry season.
If your company is not yet formally set up, start with our business registration service, and see more calls on the latest opportunities page.