The Alternative Bank unveils finance blueprint to tackle food insecurity
The Alternative Bank has launched an ethical financing framework aimed at transforming Africa’s agricultural landscape and ensuring farmers — not financiers — shape the continent’s food future.
Speaking at the agriculture summit Africa 2025 themed “Survival of the greenest: Reclaiming Africa’s food destiny,” Garba Mohammed, executive director (North) at The Alternative Bank, said Africa’s prosperity depends not only on how food is cultivated and processed, but on how it is financed.
He was represented by his chief of staff, Azeez Badru.
“This theme signals a continental awakening,” Mohammed said. “Africa’s food destiny will not be reclaimed by technology alone, but by the courage to finance differently — to make money serve humanity, not the other way around.”
Against the backdrop of Nigeria’s deepening food security crisis, The Alternative Bank is positioning itself as a champion of ethical, transparent, and inclusive financing.
Describing agriculture as “a sacred trust,” Mohammed said the bank’s mission is to fund productivity rather than speculation.
“We are financing purpose, not just profit,” he declared.
“Agriculture is a national responsibility. Every loan and partnership must feed families, preserve the land, and build resilience — that is the essence of ethical finance.”
The bank’s strategy draws on established non-interest financing models such as Mudarabah (profit-and-loss sharing), Musharakah (equity partnership), Ijara (lease-to-own), and Murabaha (cost-plus trade finance), designed to share risks and rewards fairly across the agricultural value chain.
These instruments empower producers, processors, and distributors while anchoring financing in sustainability and equity.
For too long, Mohammed observed, those who feed the continent have borne the greatest burden while financiers enjoyed the biggest gains.
That imbalance, he said, must end — and The Alternative Bank intends to lead the shift.
He noted that the bank’s intervention goes beyond financial capital to include renewable energy for irrigation, solar-powered cold storage, and waste-to-value systems — innovations that boost productivity while reducing environmental impact.
“The survival of the greenest challenges us to finance not just growth, but good — systems that reward stewardship over speculation,” he said.
Commending the organisers of agriculture summit Africa 2025, The Alternative Bank reaffirmed its commitment to reshaping Africa’s food systems through finance that empowers rather than exploits.
It also called on investors, institutions, and innovators to join efforts to put farmers at the centre of agricultural transformation.
“We’re leading this charge,” Mohammed said, “and we welcome farmers, off-takers, and partners who believe finance should build fair and resilient food systems.”
