Oyo State governor, ‘Seyi Makinde, has disclosed that the planned disbursement of ₦1.5billion interest-free agric loan to young agri-prenuers in the state is not just an intervention, but continuation of a deliberate system.
The governor made the disclosure in his bi-monthly The Business of Governance Newsletter, No 135 | March 2026 edition.
Director General of the Oyo State Agricultural Development Agency (OYSADA), Dr Debo Akande, had announced the interest-free agric loan during a press conference held in Ibadan, last Wednesday.
He further said the loan was in partnership with MasterCard Foundation, Canada and First City Monument Bank (FCMB).
The OYSADA boss had said the disbursement of the loan to the first batch of beneficiaries under the YEAP-SAfER programme wil take place on Monday, 23 March.
Governor Makinde described the scheduled disbursement as one of the defining moments in the life of his administration.
“I find myself reflecting on its significance and what it represents within a broader economic journey we have deliberately chosen to undertake.
“For us in Oyo State, this is not just another intervention. It is a continuation of a system we are building, one that is designed to deliver sustainable economic outcomes, not temporary relief,” he stated in the newsletter.
The governor emphasised the importance of the loan scheme to the young agri-preneurs, declaring: “Over time, we have come to understand that real development does not come from isolated efforts.
“It comes from systems that are consistent, intentional, and capable of reproducing results at scale.”
Governor Makinde further stated: “I have always maintained that economic prosperity will come when we get certain fundamentals right.”
He maintained his stance on raising and supporting entrepreneurs, “because they are the engine of growth in any economy.
“We must take education seriously, because an informed population is able to make logical decisions, create value, and sustain progress.
“And importantly, we must be productive, as productivity remains the bridge between potential and prosperity.”
According to him, the YEAP-SAfER was firmly within the trajectory of supporting enterprise by providing access to finance, which he said is one of the barriers that young entrepreneurs face.
“At a time when Nigeria is working to navigate its way out of economic difficulty, we must confront an uncomfortable reality; there is often a gap between what economic indices suggest and what people experience in their daily lives.
“Bridging that gap requires more than policy statements, it requires systems that translate growth into real, felt impact,” he added.
The governor further disclosed that what his administration was doing with the YEAP-SAfER programme was a clear example of how this can be done.
“By identifying, verifying, and supporting hundreds of young people, and by working with partners such as First City Monument Bank (FCMB and the Mastercard Foundation) to ensure scalability, we are not only addressing immediate needs, we are laying the foundation for long-term economic participation.
“As we commence this disbursement, our focus remains clear. This is about building a pipeline of productive citizens, strengthening the link between opportunity and capacity, and demonstrating that, with the right structure, development can be both inclusive and sustainable,” Makinde added.
