By Hussein Olanrewaju
The Country Project Manager of the RISE Project Nigeria, Maxwell Olitsa, has reaffirmed the initiative’s commitment to strengthening agribusinesses across Northern Nigeria, with projections to create up to 8,000 decent jobs.
The Resilient and Inclusive Agri-Food Systems Empowering Women and Youth in Nigeria (RISE) Project is a five-year initiative funded by Global Affairs Canada and implemented by MEDA (Mennonite Economic Development Associates), in partnership with Sahel Consulting, Development Exchange Centre, Emeraid Capital, Extension Africa, Women in Business Forum, and the Federation of Muslim Women’s Associations in Nigeria.
Olitsa stated that the programme is entering a new phase with the launch of its Expression of Interest (EOI) process, inviting women and youth-led micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to apply for financial and technical support aimed at expanding businesses, creating sustainable employment, and promoting climate-smart and resilient agri-food systems.
According to him, Northern Nigeria is rich with hardworking agripreneurs, but what has been lacking is a funding model that meets their needs. He noted that the RISE initiative is designed not as a loan scheme, but as a partnership model targeted at supporting growth-oriented agribusinesses.
“We are looking for women and youth agribusinesses that are ready to grow,” Olitsa said.
The initiative targets women, youth aged 18 to 35 years, and male-owned businesses that either have at least 30% women in leadership or among staff, or directly serve women and youth. Eligible participants are agribusinesses operating in Bauchi, Kaduna, and Kano states.
Under the programme, selected MSMEs will receive non-repayable financial and technical support through two key mechanisms: the Matching Award, which covers up to 50% of investment costs while the business provides the remaining balance, and the Circular Economy Award, which supports businesses adopting sustainable practices such as emissions reduction and waste recycling through performance-based incentives.
Olitsa further explained that priority will be given to women-owned, women-led, and youth-owned or youth-led MSMEs. For the programme, youth are defined as individuals aged 18 to 35.
He added that eligible applicants must be registered businesses or cooperatives with at least two years of operational experience, a minimum of two employees, and a clear commitment to climate-smart agriculture and gender inclusion. Applications will be assessed on a rolling basis, and registration is free.
