The ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development recorded a decline in its disclosed outstanding public-sector loans to agriculture and rural development in 2025, even as its overall lending portfolio expanded by nearly one-quarter, according to the bank’s audited financial statements.

Loans to agriculture and rural development under the public-sector category stood at West African Units of Account, 45.544 million at the end of December 2025, compared with UA48.761 million a year earlier, representing a decline of approximately 6.6 per cent.

Using an indicative conversion of N1,965 to one UA, the 2025 balance is equivalent to approximately N89.5 billion, while the 2024 balance would be about N95.8 billion at the same rate. The naira figures are calculated estimates and are not amounts reported directly by EBID.

This decline occurred against the backdrop of an expansion in the bank’s overall lending operations, with net loans and advances rising to UA1,484.661 million in 2025, from UA1,208.524 million in 2024, an increase of approximately 22.9 per cent.

Gross loans and advances to customers stood at UA1,533.490 million at the end of 2025, compared with UA1,270.866 million in 2024, and on the basis of gross outstanding customer loans, the disclosed public-sector agriculture and rural-development balance represented approximately 3.0 per cent of the bank’s total gross loans.

EBID’s total assets also increased to UA1,792.490 million in 2025, from UA1,479.570 million in 2024, representing growth of approximately 21.1 per cent.

Despite the contraction in the disclosed agriculture-loan balance, Nigeria featured prominently in EBID’s publicly announced agricultural financing commitments during the year.

On October 1, 2025, the bank announced approvals totalling $308.631 million for projects in Nigeria and Guinea, with the package including $79.219 million for a modern rice-processing complex and a 10,000-hectare irrigated rice production unit in Taraba State.

At an indicative exchange rate of N1,435.26 to the dollar, the Taraba rice project is equivalent to approximately N113.7 billion, although the amount represents an approved project commitment and should not be interpreted as funds already disbursed.

The same financing package included $98.18 million for a 50-megawatt solar photovoltaic plant in Taraba, $91.232 million for an industrial park in the state and $40 million for Vista Bank Guinea to support trade-related activities and commercial value chains.

EBID’s 2024 annual report and statements by the bank’s management also indicated continued lending activity before the 2025 expansion. The bank approved 10 new projects valued at UA330.76 million in 2024, while the number of projects receiving disbursements increased from 56 in 2023 to 77 in 2024. The annual loan disbursement rate, however, declined slightly from 21.58 per cent in 2023 to 20.54 per cent in 2024.

In a separate financing package approved in June 2025, EBID committed €174 million and $125 million to projects covering infrastructure, education, energy and trade. The package included approximately €28.9 million to modernise four agricultural high schools in Guinea and €95.163 million for three hydroelectric micro-power stations in the country.