EBRD commits $153 million to West African agriculture

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development is stepping up its support for agribusiness in West Africa with a $153 million financing package for operations in Côte d’Ivoire and Nigeria. 

The funding, split between Robust International and Valency International, targets key export commodities including cashew, sesame, cocoa and soybeans.

The investment comes as global food supply chains face pressure from climate risks, higher input costs and shifting trade flows. 

For Côte d’Ivoire and Nigeria — two of the region’s largest agricultural producers — the financing is expected to ease working capital constraints, strengthen local processing and expand access to export markets.

For the EBRD, the deal reinforces its focus on private-sector development, food security and value addition in emerging economies.

Financing to strengthen supply chains 

Robust International, an agricultural trading and processing company, received $71 million equivalent in working capital financing.

The funds will support its cashew and sesame operations across Côte d’Ivoire and Nigeria, helping the company secure crops from farmers and maintain steady exports. 

Beyond funding, the agreement includes a training program aimed at improving organic compliance and certification across Robust’s supply chains.

The initiative will promote organic farming practices, fair-trade sourcing and higher quality standards for smallholder farmers.

The company also plans to work with educational institutions in both countries to offer paid internships, giving students practical experience in the agricultural sector. 

Anand Patni, group chief financial officer at Robust, said the financing would help the company expand local processing and build more transparent supply chains in its core markets.

Expanding processing and climate standards 

Valency International secured an $82 million loan to finance the procurement and processing of cashew, soybeans, cocoa and sesame for export.

The funding will also support higher utilization of its recently commissioned cashew processing facility in Côte d’Ivoire, with the aim of increasing local value addition and supporting jobs. 

In parallel, Valency will strengthen its corporate climate governance framework.

With technical support partly funded by the EBRD, the company plans to improve how it assesses and manages climate-related risks across its operations. 

Sumit Jain, Valency’s group chief executive officer, said the partnership would support the company’s growth plans while helping it align its climate reporting and risk management practices with international standards.