Ecobank Group and AGRA have entered into a strategic partnership aimed at unlocking agricultural finance, strengthening agribusiness value chains, and accelerating inclusive growth across Africa’s food systems.

The two organisations signed a Memorandum of Understanding during the Africa Forward Summit held in Nairobi on 11 May 2026, establishing a framework to support agribusinesses, cooperatives, farmer organisations, and small and medium-sized enterprises operating across the agricultural sector.

The partnership combines Ecobank’s extensive pan-African banking network with AGRA’s agricultural development expertise to improve access to finance, increase investment readiness, and support climate-resilient agricultural growth across the continent.

The agreement comes at a time when African agriculture continues to face major financing gaps despite the sector remaining central to economic growth, food security, employment creation, and rural livelihoods. Limited access to credit, climate risks, infrastructure constraints, and low levels of commercialisation continue to restrict growth across many agricultural value chains.

Ecobank Group Executive for Commercial and Consumer Banking, Anup Suri, said agriculture should be viewed as a major commercial growth sector capable of driving long-term economic transformation across Africa.

He said the partnership would help unlock capital for agribusinesses while reducing lending risks and supporting women and youth entrepreneurs operating within agricultural value chains.

AGRA President Alice Ruhweza said agriculture remains central to Africa’s development ambitions and requires stronger investment partnerships to unlock its full potential.

She added that the collaboration would help translate continental agricultural development goals into practical investment opportunities by combining AGRA’s technical knowledge and value-chain expertise with Ecobank’s financial reach and capabilities.

Under the agreement, Ecobank will introduce tailored financing products for agribusinesses, including working capital facilities, trade finance, and asset financing solutions designed to support agricultural enterprises at different stages of development.

The partnership will also focus on developing blended finance mechanisms, including guarantees and risk-sharing facilities, aimed at reducing barriers that have historically limited commercial lending to agriculture.

AGRA will support these efforts through catalytic funding, technical assistance programmes, and investment readiness initiatives designed to strengthen governance, financial literacy, and operational capacity among agricultural SMEs and cooperatives.

Women and youth participation will form a major component of the partnership. The collaboration will align Ecobank’s Ellevate programme with AGRA’s Value4HER initiative for women-led agribusinesses and the YEFFA programme focused on youth entrepreneurship in agriculture.

The organisations said the goal is to expand targeted financing and business support for women- and youth-owned agricultural enterprises across multiple value chains.

Climate resilience and sustainable farming practices are also expected to play a central role in the partnership. Both organisations intend to support climate-smart agriculture initiatives and promote green financing instruments to strengthen adaptation and sustainability within African food systems.

The agreement reflects growing efforts across the continent to position agriculture as a commercially viable investment sector capable of driving industrialisation, food security, export growth, and job creation.

By combining financial services, technical expertise, and value-chain development support, Ecobank and AGRA aim to accelerate the transformation of African agriculture into a more productive, resilient, and investment-ready sector.