Maize Association of Nigeria (MAAN) has enlisted the support of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Nigeria Police to recover outstanding loans from the Anchor Borrowers Programme (ABP) owed by its members.
This was announced by MAAN’s National President, Bello Abubakar, during a press conference in Abuja on Thursday, following a three-day meeting with state chairmen, zonal coordinators, national officers, and stakeholders in the maize value chain, including researchers, input suppliers, farmers, and end users.
Abubakar explained that the press briefing aimed to update the public on MAAN’s efforts to retrieve loans disbursed to its members between 2018 and 2021 for maize production under the ABP, a Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) initiative.
“The ABP is designed as a revolving loan, and its sustainability depends on farmers repaying what they borrowed,” he said.
“Sadly, many participants treated the funds as a free handout, failing to honor their repayment obligations.”
Due to widespread non-compliance, MAAN sent multiple demand letters to defaulters and sought assistance from law enforcement and anti-corruption agencies to enforce repayment, in line with federal government policies.
“We’ve had to involve the EFCC, DSS, and police because some farmers have been uncooperative,” Abubakar noted.
He added that some defaulters attempted to evade responsibility by taking MAAN to court, alleging violations of their rights.
“We’ve also initiated legal action against some defaulters, and several cases are still ongoing in court,” he said.
Abubakar highlighted the severe challenges facing MAAN members, including insecurity and natural disasters.
“Bandits have burned farms, kidnapped, and killed our farmers in states like Niger, Zamfara, Katsina, Borno, Yobe, Sokoto, Ondo, and Ekiti,” he said. Flooding has also devastated farmlands in Kogi, Benue, Cross River, Jigawa, Katsina, Taraba, Niger, Kebbi, and Kwara, while drought threatens farmers in Oyo, Kwara, Niger, Ondo, Ekiti, and Benue.
He called on the federal government to create a supportive environment for smallholder farmers to repay their loans and boost production for local consumption and export.
“The government should consider the immense challenges farmers face, like insecurity and climate-related disasters, which make farming and loan repayment extremely difficult,” Abubakar urged.
He further appealed for a waiver or reduction of the outstanding ABP loans, citing these hardships.
Abubakar praised President Bola Tinubu’s administration for its commitment to food security, saying, “We appreciate the government’s efforts to ensure Nigerians have access to food, and we hope for continued support to address these challenges.”
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