After 13 years of Dutch support, the Netherlands has officially transferred ownership and management of the 2Scale agribusiness initiative to Nigerian farmers, entrepreneurs, and academics under the Institute of Agribusiness Management Nigeria (IAMN).
The handover ceremony, held at the FCW Milk Bulking Centre in Iseyin, Oyo State, marked the end of direct Dutch funding but the beginning of a fully Nigerian-led chapter for the program.
2Scale, designed as an incubator and accelerator for inclusive agribusiness, has built partnerships that empower smallholder farmers, boost food processing, and expand consumer access to locally produced food. Over its lifespan, the initiative mobilized €30 million in private investment, with €17 million flowing directly into value chains.
Ambassador Bengt Van Loosdrecht, who presided over the transition, expressed confidence in Nigerian stakeholders to sustain and expand the program:
“This project has helped farmers scale up their businesses for over a decade. What matters most is that the knowledge and systems are already in place. After 13 years, the people who worked with it know how to keep it alive and growing,” he said.
He emphasized that long-term sustainability requires local ownership rather than endless foreign aid:
“Funding cannot go on forever. True sustainability comes when a country takes charge of what works. Nigeria is not poor—it has the capacity to build on what has been started.”
Accepting the responsibility, Professor Andi Brisibe, President of IAMN, praised the transformative impact of 2Scale on Nigeria’s agribusiness sector.
“The inclusive models developed through 2Scale have been very beneficial, particularly for farmers and entrepreneurs at the bottom of the pyramid,” he noted. “Though the program is closing due to policy constraints, the Institute has experienced professors, researchers, and scientists who will sustain and grow the legacy.”
With the handover complete, Nigerian experts will now steer 2Scale into a new phase, aiming to deepen its inclusive approach and strengthen the country’s agribusiness ecosystem without reliance on foreign funding.
