Extension Africa seeks stronger Gov’t partnerships to empower rural farmers

By Abubakar Yunusa

A leading agri-tech firm, Extension Africa, has reaffirmed its commitment to transforming Nigeria’s agricultural landscape by bridging the gap between smallholder farmers and market actors, through innovative data systems and a vast agent network.

Speaking at a recent B2B l forum in Abuja,on Thursday, the Chief Executive Officer of Extension Africa, Tajudeen Yahaya, said the company’s digital platform is designed to help government and private partners identify the exact needs of farmers, be it comprehensive support or targeted funding.

“The platform we are building is here to help the government with the right information – who the farmer is, and what kind of funding or support they need,” Yahaya told journalists at the event.

He stressed that one of the major barriers rural farmers face is not just funding, but poor infrastructure and lack of data-driven planning.

“How would the government know which rural roads are most economically viable to fix if they don’t know which commodities are coming from which communities?” he asked.

The forum brought together stakeholders across the agricultural value chain to discuss how a centralised extension system could replace existing siloed approaches, which have created confusion and inefficiencies for both farmers and service providers.

“Too many agencies are working in isolation. If we can unify these systems, then input suppliers, insurance firms, mechanisation providers, and even drone services can connect directly to the farmer through our platform,” Yahaya explained.

According to him, the B2B forum aims to create a “market-led extension system” where businesses can leverage technology and the company’s network of trained agents to connect directly with farmers — cutting through multiple layers of bureaucracy.

Extension Africa currently operates a network of over 4,000 agents across the country, each linked to a minimum of 200 farmers. This network supports more than 800,000 smallholders.

“These agents are our bridge to the farmers. Through them, government agencies can connect directly and efficiently with rural producers,” Yahaya noted.

The CEO also revealed ongoing partnerships with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture’s Department of Extension, the Nigerian Agricultural Seed Council, and the Nigeria Commodity Exchange to enhance services and streamline access to data, inputs, and markets.

“We’re also working on a one-stop commercial platform search engine for both public and private extension agents, allowing businesses and government to plug into a unified system,” he added.

Extension Africa, now in its fourth year, is positioning itself not just as a technology firm but as a facilitator of access — both for farmers and agribusinesses.

“We’re in the business of access. Whether it’s organic fertiliser producers, seed companies or off-takers, our role is to help them reach the farmer faster and more effectively,” he said.

Also speaking at the forum, Tajudin Abubakar, representing the Hope for Every Farmer in Africa (HEFA) Nigeria, emphasised the need for deeper collaboration to support rural farmers, who produce over 80 percent of Nigeria’s food.

“No single organisation can solve these challenges alone. This initiative is about collective impact and community-driven change,” said Abubakar, who serves as HEFA’s Access Derivative Finance and Technology Integration Manager.

He noted that HEFA’s partnership with Extension Africa reflects a shared mission to connect smallholders with critical services they traditionally lack.

The stakeholder forum concluded with a renewed call for inclusive agricultural development — one that places smallholder farmers at the centre, empowered by data, technology, and collaboration.

“To unlock Nigeria’s agricultural potential, we must start from the grassroots — by supporting those who farm under the most difficult conditions,” Abubakar said.