Frequently Asked Questions

  1. Home
  2. /
  3. Who We Are
  4. /
  5. Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is NIRSAL Plc?

NIRSAL is the acronym and NIRSAL Plc the registered business name for Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending. It is a non-bank financial institution wholly owned by the Central Bank of Nigeria with a mandate to de-risk lending and facilitate finance for Agriculture and Agribusiness in Nigeria. NIRSAL Plc is also called NIRSAL.

2. Is NIRSAL the Same as NIRSAL Microfinance Bank?

No. NIRSAL Plc or NIRSAL is different from NIRSAL Microfinance Bank. Both are distinct institutions with different mandates, different managements, and operating from different locations. Moreover, NIRSAL is not a bank, while NIRSAL Microfinance Bank is.

3. How Does NIRSAL Work?

NIRSAL works primarily with financial institutions, agribusinesses, governments, and development partners to unlock scalable, secure, and sustainable finance for agriculture and agribusiness.

4. Does NIRSAL Provide Loans to Farmers?

No. NIRSAL is not a bank and not a lender. Instead, we empower banks, development finance institutions, and other financiers with risk mitigation tools, training, and frameworks to lend confidently to agribusinesses.

5. What Role Does NIRSAL Play in Agricultural Lending Today?

NIRSAL acts as a bridge—connecting capital to opportunities in the agriculture sector. We provide credit guarantees, structure investment-ready projects, support capacity-building, and deliver digital tools to de-risk lending across agricultural value chains.

6. How Does NIRSAL Support Financial Institutions?

We offer up to 75% credit guarantees, bespoke risk-sharing frameworks, digital loan evaluation tools, and training for loan officers. These solutions reduce perceived risk and increase banks’ confidence in lending to agriculture, and their profitability too.

7. What are NIRSAL’s Current Priority Areas?

Our focus areas include value chain structuring, project preparation and delivery, credit risk guarantees, aggregation support, digital risk management tools, and policy-aligned stakeholder collaboration. We are also interested in Agro commodity exports and feedlot systems.

8. Who Are NIRSAL’s Key Partners?

We work with commercial and development banks, state and federal governments, development finance institutions, donor agencies, and agribusiness aggregators.

9. How Can Cooperatives or Agribusinesses Benefit from NIRSAL’s Support?
By working through trained partner financial institutions, cooperatives and agribusinesses can access loans de-risked by NIRSAL, participate in aggregation programs, and benefit from value chain improvement initiatives.
10. How Can Financial Institutions Partner with NIRSAL?
Financial institutions can onboard as counterparties, receive training, access our credit guarantee platforms, and co-develop customized risk-sharing frameworks for agricultural lending.
11. How Does NIRSAL Ensure Transparency and Accountability?
We have introduced corporate governance reforms, real-time impact dashboards, quarterly stakeholder reports, and consistent communications to rebuild trust and demonstrate performance.
12. How Can I Track NIRSAL’s Impact?
Our revamped website features an Impact Hub and real-time dashboard showcasing data on credit facilitated, institutions supported, smallholders reached through aggregators, and other key indicators.
13. Where Can I Learn More or Get in Touch?

Visit www.nirsal.com or email us at [email protected]. You can also follow us on LinkedIn, X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and YouTube for updates. Or you can visit our offices located all over the country.