Access to Finance

Established as a corporate enterprise to facilitate access to finance innovations for smallholder farmers in the Niger Delta, PIND has focused effort in 2020 to test and evidence the viability of the Sombreiro Kapital’s proposed model and products in the pilot sectors and States: Aquaculture, Palm Oil Processing and Poultry in Bayelsa, Delta, and Ondo States.
Specifically, the initiative will be addressing the identified constraints through the capacity building of smallholder farmers and agricultural risk sharing with commercial banks and other partner institutions. For the first six months, July to December 2020, Sombreiro Kapital will be testing and evidencing the viability of the proposed model and products in the pilot sectors and States: Aquaculture, Palm Oil Processing and Poultry in Bayelsa, Delta, and Ondo States.

Unlocking Growth Through Financial Inclusion

In the Niger Delta, access to finance remains a persistent barrier for many micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), especially those in the agricultural value chain. Traditional banks often see rural clients as risky, leaving farmers out of the formal credit system.
To change that narrative, PIND created Sombreiro Kapital (SK)—a special-purpose financial vehicle. By leveraging PIND’s deep grassroots relationships and technical credibility, SK partners with commercial banks to unlock financing for smallholder farmers and agri-focused MSMEs.
The approach combines financial literacy, loan facilitation, and risk mitigation, helping lenders see opportunity instead of risk. By making credit accessible and practical for those who need it most, the initiative supports SDG 1 (No Poverty) and SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth).

Why It Matters

Affordable Credit Access

Smallholder farmers and rural MSMEs now access low-interest loans tailored to their growth cycles

Empowered Farmers & MSMEs

With the right financing, local entrepreneurs expand production, create jobs, and scale sustainably.

Reduced Financial Exclusion

More rural households and women-led businesses now participate in formal financial systems.

Inclusive Economic Growth

By supporting local economies, the initiative fuels enterprise resilience and long-term development.

Who We Work With

This program reaches a wide variety of stakeholders, including:

How It Works

The SK model addresses both sides of the lending challenge. On the borrower side, it improves financial literacy, supports group formation, and facilitates loan applications. On the lender side, it leverages PIND’s community presence and risk-mitigation tools to ease the disbursement process.
Partnerships with commercial banks.
Aggregated loan processing for farmer clusters. Structured repayment plans aligned with farming cycles.
Ongoing monitoring and borrower support.

Success Stories

In 2022, Festus Ebozele, an oil palm farmer and member of TA Commodity Producers Company in Edo State, was facing serious financial constraints. That changed when he connected with PIND through NEXZER and accessed support through Sombreiro Kapital.
The loan he received helped him stabilize his operations and expand services to support other farmers in his community. By offering farm maintenance services and growing his reach, Festus didn’t just recover—he thrived.
“Sombreiro Kapital was my guiding light. With structured quarterly repayments, I had breathing room to meet my obligations and grow my business.”

Through PIND’s support, the ministry of Niger Delta Affairs has achieved a very appreciable milestone in developing the Niger Delter Regional peacebuilding strategy, a regional security framework. PIND’s unwavering commitment to the development of the Niger Delta region has positively impacted the lives of countless indiividuals and communities. PIND’s work aligns with the mandate of the Ministry to improve the living condition of Niger Deltans in general. Hence, the Ministry will continue to collaborate with the foundation to improve situation in the region.

Impact So Far

Since launching in 2021, Sombreiro Kapital has:

Key Achievement

Facilitated the disbursement of ₦592 million in loans to 2,113 farmers, including 870 women across Delta, Edo, Imo, Ondo, and Bayelsa States.
Processed over 400 loan applications valued at ₦21.5 billion from farmer and MSME clusters.
Maintained a single-digit interest rate, significantly lower than market averages of over 30%
Sustained a 5% loan default rate, aligning with national benchmarks for successful loan programs.

What’s Next

In 2025 and beyond, PIND will:

Expand SK’s reach to new agricultural value chains and geographies.
Facilitate more aggregated loans through farmer groups and cooperatives.
Deepen partnerships with financial institutions to reduce barriers to rural lending.
Roll out more financial education workshops to empower borrowers.
Integrate financing efforts with other PIND initiatives like Access to Technology and Access to Markets.

Our Aim

The intervention model is aimed at encouraging sustainable lending to small-scale farmers without recourse to collateral in the long term.

Our Results

9,804

Farmers and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) reached with information on best practices and technological innovations

Our Approach

To implement this intervention model, PIND Foundation motions:

Collaborations with licensed financial institutions, agricultural service providers, and other non–bank institutions with intersecting objectives
Formalization of partnership platforms to facilitate loans to smallholder farmers through a licensed commercial banks.
Building of the efficiency of smallholder farmers, and increase the initiative’s impact on its target market.

1,738

Farmers and MSMEs enabled with improved knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) that increase their productivity

3,435

Farmers and MSMEs enabled with improved knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) that increase their productivity