This article was produced with the support of Ecobank
Ecobank Group and AGRA have entered into a strategic partnership designed to strengthen Africa’s agricultural ecosystem and improve access to finance across key value chains.
The Memorandum of Understanding, signed during the Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi on 11 May, establishes a framework for collaboration between Ecobank’s pan-African banking network and AGRA’s long-standing expertise in agricultural transformation. The agreement aims to support agribusinesses, farmer organisations and value-chain actors by expanding financing solutions and strengthening investment readiness across the sector.
The partnership comes against the backdrop of agriculture’s continued importance as a cornerstone of African economies, while also reflecting persistent challenges around access to finance, commercialisation and climate resilience. Both organisations say the collaboration is intended to help shift agriculture towards a more productive, investment-ready and commercially viable sector.
Anup Suri, Group Executive for Commercial and Consumer Banking at Ecobank Group, said agriculture must be recognised as a high-growth sector capable of driving structural economic transformation.
“To transform Africa’s economy, we must treat agriculture as a high-growth commercial sector rather than a subsistence activity,” he said. “Through this strategic alliance with AGRA, Ecobank is unlocking the capital required to scale agribusinesses across the continent. We are de-risking the sector, backing women and youth entrepreneurs, and building a resilient food system that will power Africa’s next decade of growth.”
Alice Ruhweza, President of AGRA, said agriculture remains central to Africa’s development agenda and must be supported by stronger investment frameworks and partnerships.
“Agriculture is not one sector among many for Africa; it is the foundation on which the continent’s entire development agenda rests,” she said. “As African leaders advance the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme strategy for the decade ahead, this partnership with Ecobank translates that ambition into action. AGRA, working with its partners, has over the last twenty years built evidence, value chain knowledge and on-the-ground insight into the opportunities for women and young people to build thriving agribusinesses. Pairing that expertise with Ecobank’s reach and capabilities is how we demonstrate, credibly and concretely, that African food systems are one of the most compelling opportunities of our time.”
At the core of the partnership is a set of interventions aimed at reducing risk and improving the flow of credit to the agricultural sector. Ecobank will develop and deploy tailored financial solutions, including working capital, asset finance and trade finance products designed for agribusinesses at different stages of growth.
To address long-standing barriers to lending in agriculture, both institutions will work on structuring blended finance instruments, including risk-sharing facilities and guarantees. AGRA will complement these efforts through catalytic funding, mobilisation of beneficiaries, and technical assistance focused on improving financial literacy, governance and investment readiness among small and medium-sized agribusinesses as well as cooperatives.
A strong emphasis will be placed on inclusion. The partnership will align Ecobank’s Ellevate initiative with AGRA’s Value4HER programme for women in agribusiness and its YEFFA initiative supporting youth entrepreneurship. The aim is to increase targeted financing and capacity-building for women- and youth-led enterprises across agricultural value chains.
Climate resilience also features prominently in the collaboration. The partners intend to promote sustainable land use practices and expand access to green financing instruments to support climate-smart agricultural solutions. This reflects growing pressure on African food systems from climate change and the need for investment in adaptation as well as productivity.
By combining Ecobank’s pan-African reach with AGRA’s technical and sector expertise, both organisations say the partnership is designed to help unlock the full potential of African agriculture as a driver of inclusive growth, job creation and food security.