The high rates at which banks are willing to extend loans to farmers is a threat to food security in Nigeria, according to Alhaji Umar Abdullahi, chairman of the Gombe State Chapter of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN).

The Guardian quoted the chairman saying "agricultural loans must be within reach of farmers and the terms made more farmer-friendly so that more farmers could get access to the loans".

According to Abdullahi, the 9% interest rate charged by the Central Bank of Nigeria on agriculture loans, is three times higher than the 2% charged in Malaysia.