NIRSAL Connect
Adaku Obikwere is an experienced professional in agricultural value chain development, currently serving as Assistant Manager at NIRSAL Connect since May 2017, where responsibilities include analyzing and developing project documents, conducting research for sustainable business models, and engaging stakeholders in the agricultural sector. Previous roles include Supervisor positions focused on agricultural value chain projects, notably leading comprehensive research on the Nigeria Soybean Value Chain and conducting field visits to assess production capabilities across various states. Adaku also has a background in customer service, data entry, and financial management from earlier positions at UBA Group, krustylab, and the Central Bank of Nigeria. Adaku holds a Master’s Degree in International Management from the University of the West of England, along with several other qualifications in management and business.
NIRSAL Connect
The Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing system for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL) was launched in 2011 and incorporated in 2013 by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) as a dynamic, holistic USD500 Million public-private initiative to catalyse the flow of finance and investments into fixed agricultural value chains. NIRSAL seeks to address the causes of low funding levels in the agriculture sector, including lack of understanding of the sector, perceived high risks, complex credit assessment processes/procedures, and high transaction costs.