British International Investment, Babban Gona, sign $7.5m deal to boost food security, others

By Peter Egwuatu

British International Investment (BII), the UK’s development finance institution and impact investor, have announced a $7.5 million debt investment in Nigerian agri-tech platform, Babban Gona, to boost food security and climate resilience for smallholder farmers in Northern Nigeria.

Commenting at the signing ceremony in Lagos, Benson Adenuga, West Africa Regional Director and Head of Office for Nigeria, BII, said: “Our partnership with Babban Gona is a great example of how BII is using catalytic capital to support innovative, high-impact business models that transform lives and economies. By backing this pioneering franchise model, we are not only addressing a critical financing gap but also helping to build a more resilient and productive agricultural sector and support smallholder farmers in a region that is often overlooked by investors. This investment will deliver tangible impact at scale, strengthening food security and climate resilience.”

“Babban Gona’s offering is designed to overcome these structural barriers by providing comprehensive end-to-end services for smallholders via its AI-powered platform including high-quality agricultural inputs, financial credit, training on climate-smart practices, and support with harvest, storage, and access to market” he added.

Also speaking at the ceremony, Florence Eshalomi MP, UK Trade Envoy to Nigeria said: “Today, I’m proud to stand alongside British International Investment (BII) as we announce a $7.5 million investment into Babban Gona, a pioneering social enterprise transforming smallholder agriculture in Nigeria. This investment will help scale an innovative, tech-enabled model that empowers farmers with access to finance, training, and services, boosting yields and incomes while building climate resilience.

Commenting as well, Kola Masha, Babban Gona’s Managing Director said: “The British government played an instrumental role in our story, becoming the first institutional investor in our 2013 public debt raise. Now, a little more than a decade later, to have British International Investment commit an amount 10 times larger is a powerful testament to our shared vision for bettering the lives of smallholder farmers. We are thrilled to have them partner with us in this next phase of our journey as we accelerate the impact of our work, with the ambition to become the earth’s highest-impact business.”

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