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Africa’s agriculture sector has the resources needed to drive growth and food security, but attracting large-scale investment will require greater investor confidence, stronger institutions and more predictable markets, according to the Nigerian National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF).

Speaking at the Africa Food Systems Forum (AFSF) in Rwanda, NADF Executive Secretary Mohammed Ibrahim said the continent’s agricultural transformation depends less on the availability of capital and more on creating the conditions that encourage investors to commit long-term funding.

According to Ibrahim, investors are looking for an ecosystem where farmers can be easily identified, agricultural data is reliable, markets are transparent, and institutions are capable of delivering on their commitments. Strengthening these foundations would help reduce investment risks and improve the flow of capital into the sector.

He noted that unlocking investment at scale requires stronger market linkages, improved access to finance and an enabling environment that allows farmers and agribusinesses to become more productive, profitable and commercially sustainable.

Ibrahim also highlighted the growing role of public finance in catalysing private-sector participation. Rather than replacing commercial capital, he said public funding should be strategically deployed to address market failures, de-risk investments and attract larger pools of private and development finance into agriculture.

As part of this strategy, NADF is advancing a range of financing models, including blended finance, co-financing arrangements, on-lending programmes and partnerships with banks, insurers, processors and development institutions. The objective is to mobilise greater investment across agricultural value chains while supporting long-term sector development.

The comments underscore a broader shift across Africa's agricultural sector toward investment-led growth, with policymakers and development agencies focusing on creating bankable opportunities that can attract both domestic and international capital.