The Association of Northern Agricultural and Allied Commodities Practitioners (ANAACOP) and Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has inaugurated farmers’ programmable money agro e-naira engagement.

The programme targets one million farmers in North-Eastern states in the 2023 farming season.

CBN governor Godwin Emefiele said in Yola that the programme was designed to ensure food security in the region and the country.

Mr Emefiele said the e-naira is the first digital currency launched in Africa and the second globally.

He said currently, 50 farmers were targeted to test run the programme in Adamawa.

“But by the end of the year, we will scale up to one million farmers and another four million by 2024. So what we are doing is providing a platform where we can have accountability, transparency and make the programme efficient to encourage people who will be able to provide finance to those who need it,” said the CBN governor.

Mr Sadiq Daware, ANAACOP chairman, commended President Muhammadu Buhari for the Anchor Borrowers Programme through the CBN.

“Today we are happy to inform all Nigerians that ANAACOP through the CBN has gotten it right to make sure that farmers, particularly the smallholder farmers, will get loans at ease with little or no hitches leveraging on e-naira programme,” said Mr Daware.

(NAN)