The Kaduna Business School (KBS), in partnership with the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), the Enterprise Development Centre (EDC) and the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), has concluded the training and certification of 110 Agribusiness Development Service Providers (BDSPs) and 50 agribusiness Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) drawn from Kaduna, Nasarawa and Niger states.

According to KBS, the maiden cohort of the Agribusiness Development Service Providers (BDSPs)/Agribusiness MSMEs Programme culminated in simultaneous graduation ceremonies held across the three participating states.The institution said the 110 scholarship-sponsored BDSPs are now certified to provide advisory and business support services to MSMEs operating across the agriculture and food systems value chain in the three states.

It added that the 50 AGRA-sponsored agribusiness MSMEs completed the programme with improved operational efficiency, stronger financial management practices, enhanced market linkages and better buyer relationships. In a statement issued on Tuesday, KBS said the graduation ceremonies attracted government officials, development partners and industry stakeholders, who reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s agribusiness ecosystem.

Representing the AGRA Nigeria Country Director, Dr. Rufus Idris, the organisation’s Project Manager, Dr. Godswill Agwuyi, described the simultaneous graduations in Kaduna, Nasarawa and Niger states as evidence of the scale of the initiative and AGRA’s commitment to strengthening agribusiness support systems across Nigeria’s major agricultural hubs.
According to Idris, transforming agriculture requires more than increasing production, stressing that farmers and agribusinesses need access to quality services, finance, markets, technology and advisory support to build sustainable enterprises.

“Behind every successful agribusiness is an ecosystem of capable institutions and professionals that provide these critical services,” he said.

Agwuyi noted that MSMEs contribute about 46.32 per cent to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), account for about 96.9 per cent of businesses and support nearly 87.9 per cent of employment nationwide, underscoring the importance of strengthening the Business Development Services ecosystem to drive inclusive economic growth.

He further disclosed that agriculture, forestry and fishing contributed about 25.9 per cent to Nigeria’s GDP in 2024, describing the newly certified BDSPs as ambassadors of quality business advisory services whose success would be measured by the businesses they help grow and the jobs they create.

Agwuyi commended KBS, the Enterprise Development Centre and SMEDAN for building a pool of competent, ethical and professional business development service providers, while reaffirming AGRA’s commitment to supporting institutions that empower entrepreneurs and strengthen inclusive agricultural markets for smallholder farmers, women, youth and agribusinesses across Nigeria.

The graduation ceremony at Kaduna Business School was attended by Dr. Fatima Tijjani Yusuf, who represented the Kaduna State Commissioner for Agriculture, and Dr. Musa Maigida, Director of Executive Education at Kaduna Business School, alongside other government officials and development partners.