Commissioners for Agriculture from Borno, Plateau, Taraba, and Kaduna states have called for stronger agricultural insurance in Nigeria to mitigate losses incurred by farmers due to climate change. This call came during the 2025 Wet Season Insurance Pay-out Ceremony held under the National Agribusiness Planning Mechanism (NAPM) in Abuja, where Leadway Assurance, in partnership with the Presidential Food Systems Coordinating Unit (PFSCU) and PULA Advisors, disbursed a total of N396,697,672 in insurance pay-outs to smallholder farmers.
Pay-out Ceremony Highlights
The pay-out, which took place yesterday in Abuja, benefited farmers in Plateau, Borno, Kaduna, and Taraba States. The ceremony reinforced the critical role of agricultural insurance in safeguarding livelihoods, stabilizing food production, and enabling farmers to recover from climate-related losses. It also provided a platform to review outcomes from the recently concluded wet season, present verified yield data, and recognize beneficiary farmers. Additionally, it fostered forward-looking discussions among key stakeholders, promoting stronger collaboration and strategic alignment ahead of the 2025/2026 dry season farming.
Kaduna Commissioner's Concerns
In his goodwill message, the Kaduna State Commissioner for Agriculture, Murtala Mohammed Dabo, highlighted that one of the major challenges facing Nigerian farmers is food importation by the government. He noted that many farmers have lost interest in returning to the farms due to losses incurred following mass food importation. Dabo commended Leadway Assurance and its partners for assisting farmers who experienced losses due to climate change effects.
Leadway Assurance's Commitment
The Chief Executive Officer of Leadway Assurance, Gboyega Lesi, stated, "This pay-out underscores our promise to stand by our farmers when it matters most. Agricultural insurance is a vital tool for building resilience within Nigeria’s food systems, and we are proud to support farmers in mitigating the impact of climate risks." He emphasized that the pay-out reflects what is possible when public and private sector partners align around a shared vision for agricultural transformation. "By leveraging data-driven insurance solutions, we ensure that vulnerable farmers are not left behind amid climate uncertainties," he added.
Global Head's Perspective
Fatona Ayoola, Global Head of Agricultural Risks Solutions at Leadway Assurance, noted that the company views agricultural resilience as vital to Nigeria’s food security. "We understand that empowering farmers to recover from losses, rebuild, reinvest, and sustain their operations fosters the trust and confidence needed to continue investing in the production of food that nourishes the nation and builds our food systems," he said. He also commended the PFSCU’s NAPM template, which was conceptualized to outline functional public-private partnerships in action.
Pula Advisors' Remarks
The Country Manager of Pula Advisors, Dr. Michael Enahoro, noted that the partnership with PFSCU and Leadway Assurance proves that indemnifying Nigerian agricultural production is workable and can be handled at scale to ensure food security. He commended the state governments that keyed into the programme for protecting their farmers and building resilience against climate shocks and variability. He also thanked Bayer Foundation for supporting the NAPM risk management exercise and expressed confidence in their willingness to increase support aligned with the current season’s visions and objectives.
Previous Success
In 2024, Leadway and its partners paid N110 million in agricultural insurance claims to 1,138 Nigerian farmers who experienced total yield losses following the outbreak of ginger blight disease. This consistency in fulfilling obligations to policyholders has established Leadway Assurance and its partners as pivotal players in strengthening resilient agricultural systems and advancing food security in Nigeria.
