Nigeria's Moves Fund Opens Doors for Young Farmers — What Changes in 2025

The Federal Government on Thursday unveiled Moves, a N1.2 trillion land trust fund designed to remove the biggest barrier holding young Nigerians out of agriculture: access to land. The programme, officially launched at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, offers young farmers long-term leases on government-secured farmland instead of forcing them to buy or inherit property. Officials expect the first leases to be issued within three months, covering at least 500,000 hectares across 12 states. The announcement directly targets the estimated 15 million Nigerians aged 18-35 who have expressed interest in farming but lack the collateral to access it. Officials project Moves will create 75,000 jobs in its first phase, with a longer-term goal of placing 200,000 young farmers on productive land within five years.

The fund works by having the Federal Government or its nominated trustee hold land titles on behalf of qualifying youth. Instead of purchasing property outright — a cost that can reach N500,000 per hectare in some regions — beneficiaries pay a reduced annual lease fee set by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. President Bola Tinubu described Moves as a direct answer to Nigeria's youth unemployment crisis, stating that the programme would make agriculture a viable career rather than a last resort. Several state governments have already signed memoranda of understanding with the Federal Government to contribute land to the scheme.

How the Trust Mechanism Protects Young Farmers

Moves operates on a land trust model borrowed from international agricultural development frameworks. Under this structure, the government acquires or designates land — including previously idle federal reserves and released state holdings — and acts as a neutral holder of the title. Young farmers receive lease agreements typically lasting 25 to 50 years, during which they cannot be arbitrarily displaced or have the land sold beneath them. This security of tenure is what banks and investors typically require before extending credit to agricultural ventures. Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Senator Abubakar Kyari said the trust structure was specifically designed to give young farmers the collateral confidence needed to seek loans and private investment. The Ministry will publish a list of approved lands in each participating state by the end of February, allowing prospective applicants to inspect plots before committing.

Who Qualifies and How to Apply

Eligibility for Moves is restricted to Nigerians between the ages of 18 and 40 who can demonstrate basic farming knowledge or completed training from an approved agricultural institution. Applicants must submit a business plan outlining the crop or livestock activity they intend to pursue on the leased land. Priority will be given to candidates from rural communities and those in states with high youth unemployment rates. The application portal will go live by March 15, according to a statement from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture. Applicants shortlisted for the first cohort will be notified by April and will undergo a two-week onboarding programme covering land use rights, financial planning, and market access. No fees will be charged to submit an application, though successful lease holders will pay an annual charge reviewed every five years.

Twelve States Lead the Initial Rollout

Moves will launch in twelve states representing Nigeria's major ecological zones: Niger, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, Benue, Ebonyi, Cross River, Oyo, Ogun, and the Federal Capital Territory. Each state government has committed to clearing and surveying land blocks no smaller than 50 hectares each for collective use by programme beneficiaries. Niger State alone has pledged 80,000 hectares, the largest single contribution to the fund so far. State-level implementation committees chaired by the respective governors will oversee allocation and monitor compliance with lease terms. A national coordination office inside the Ministry of Agriculture will handle disputes, track lease payments, and manage the database of all active Moves beneficiaries across the country.

Infrastructure Gaps in Target States

A major challenge officials must address is the lack of roads, electricity, and irrigation systems on many of the plots identified for Moves. In Kebbi and Sokoto, where large tracts of land have been earmarked for dry-season farming, beneficiaries may need support beyond just a lease agreement. The government has allocated N45 billion from the 2025 budget for basic infrastructure upgrades on Moves land blocks, though critics say the figure falls short of what is required. Private sector partners, including Zenith Bank and Dangote Industries, have expressed interest in co-investing in farm-to-market roads and storage facilities on selected sites, according to the Ministry's announcement.

Financing the Leap from Lease to Production

Receiving a lease solves the land problem, but young farmers still need capital to plant, harvest, and sell their output. Moves addresses this through a parallel programme called the Agribusiness Accelerator, which links lease holders to low-interest financing from the Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending. NIRSAL has already committed N200 billion in guaranteed credit lines specifically for Moves beneficiaries. Interest rates will be capped at 10 percent for the first five years, compared to the 25 to 30 percent typically charged by commercial banks for agricultural loans. This financing gap was the point most frequently raised by youth groups during the public consultation that preceded Moves' launch. The Young Farmers Association of Nigeria welcomed the development but called for faster disbursement timelines, noting that seasonal planting windows mean delayed capital can destroy an entire harvest cycle.

What This Means for Nigeria's Food Security Agenda

The Federal Government's push to revitalise agriculture reflects a broader shift in economic planning away from oil dependence. Nigeria spends roughly $2.5 billion annually importing staple foods that domestic farmers could produce, including rice, wheat, and tomatoes. Moves is designed partly to close that gap by expanding the cultivated area worked by young, tech-savvy farmers who are more likely to adopt modern methods. The Ministry of Agriculture projects that if all 200,000 planned lease holders reach average productivity levels, Nigeria could reduce its food import bill by up to N300 billion per year within a decade. Experts tracking the programme say the outcome will depend heavily on whether the government can consistently deliver on its infrastructure promises and prevent land allocation from becoming politicised.

The programme enters a critical implementation window. The March 15 portal launch will be the first public test of how smoothly the application process works. Within six months, officials expect the first batch of leased lands to be operational. Watch for whether the financing commitments from NIRSAL and private banks translate into actual disbursements before the planting season begins — that gap between announcement and delivery has tripped up previous agricultural initiatives. State governments that fail to deliver surveyed land on schedule may find themselves excluded from subsequent phases of the programme, a pressure mechanism the coordination office plans to use to keep implementation on track. The first harvest from Moves-supported farms, expected by late 2026, will serve as the most concrete measure of whether the scheme can deliver on its ambition.