Developing an Agribusiness Investment Framework for the North East Development Commission

The North East Development Commission is mandated to support post-conflict reconstruction and economic development, and developing a professional agribusiness investment framework provides a structured approach to using NEDC resources for sustainable agricultural growth. This study developed an agribusiness investment framework for the North East Development Commission, applicable across Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Gombe, Bauchi, and Taraba States. A professional framework development methodology was applied, incorporating agribusiness sector assessments, structured consultations with 20 NEDC officials and private sector agribusiness operators, and benchmarking against the Dangote Foundation agribusiness programme and the USAID-funded MARKETS II programme. Assessment confirmed that staple crop production, livestock, and fisheries show the highest commercial potential in the zone, but post-harvest infrastructure, processing facilities, and market linkages are severely deficient. The framework specifies four investment windows: infrastructure grants for post-harvest facilities, equity investments in agribusiness SMEs, technical assistance grants, and market linkage programme funding. Selection criteria, due diligence standards, and impact measurement indicators are provided. Expert review by nine agribusiness and development finance specialists confirmed the framework's investment design quality. Recommendations include NEDC establishing a dedicated Agribusiness Investment Desk, partnering with the Bank of Industry for co-financing arrangements, and publishing an annual North East Agribusiness Investment Report.

Keywords: agribusiness investment, North East Development Commission, agricultural finance, post-conflict development, agribusiness framework