to engage and enrich millions of smallholder farmers and other value chain actors through the participation of commercial financiers. Inspired by NIRSAL’s track record of rigour and impact, governments across Africa are giving serious consideration to the NIRSAL model. Some have initiated contact with NIRSAL and are at various levels of discussion with the Abdulhameed-led management on the possible replication of the NIRSAL model in their respective jurisdictions. Having brought a wealth of experience to NIRSAL, Abdulhameed continues to build a commanding resume for even bigger national and transnational corporate stewardship. His agricultural finance and risk management experience has been honed during these years at NIRSAL, making him a dexterous manager of investments and risk leveraging technology. As a result, the responsiveness of commercial banks to investing in the agriculture sector is growing remarkably from a bitter past of unmitigated losses. In a development that highlights Abdulhameed’s growing regional influence, he was conferred with the Grande Chancellerie De L’Ordre Du Muno Award in June 2018 by Mr. Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé, President of the Republic of Togo. The award came after Abdulhameed successfully led the team that established the Togo Incentive-based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (TIRSAL/MIFA) – a replica institution of NIRSAL. This is with the support of the African Development Bank (AfDB). 15 www. ceotodaymagazine . com Niger ia NIRSAL Plc’s mission statement is to forge partnerships between agriculture and finance, maximising the potential of agriculture for food security, job creation and economic growth. Manag ing Di re c tor & CEO, NIRSAL Pl c NIRSAL Pl c , Pl ot 1 581 , Ti g r i s Cre s c ent , Ma i tama , Abu j a , Ni ge r i a T: +234 813 988 2220 Aliyu Abdulhameed liyu Abdulhameed, the pioneer Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL Plc), is an adept Agricultural Economist, corporate development expert and programme management specialist with varied experience in institution building, process development and operational improvement. Under his leadership, NIRSAL has grown into a vibrant, high-performing institution that has notched impressive accomplishments and gained the respect and goodwill of beneficiaries, stakeholders and partners within and outside the country. It has facilitated over $716 million into the Nigerian agricultural and agribusiness sector through its credit risk guarantees; introduced innovative index-based insurance products to improve the income of farmers and reduce credit risk and created millions of direct and indirect jobs, that are positively impacting farmers’ livelihoods and communities across Nigeria. In NIRSAL, Abdulhameed is building an avant-garde institution that is playing a key role in Nigeria’s fight against poverty and unemployment through the conceptualisation and deployment of agricultural programmes designed A
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