Nutriset Group is proud to announce that NutriK has been granted a €2 million loan by Proparco, a subsidiary of the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) Group, to help increase its capacity to produce Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) in Nigeria. The financial support is part of the FARM (Food & Agriculture Resilience Mission) and Choose Africa 2 initiatives, which facilitate access to financing for African SMEs, particularly in fragile regions.
Since its creation in 2019, NutriK has been working in the heart of northern Nigeria, in Kano, with a strong commitment to addressing the urgent nutritional needs of the region and beyond. This funding will contribute to the establishment of a new factory, thus increasing our capacity to provide international standard quality solutions, while strengthening our partnerships with local peanut farmers. This approach supports agricultural communities by creating economic opportunities and promoting sustainable production.
With approximately 12.1 million children under 5 suffering from stunting and 1.5 million pregnant or breastfeeding women affected by malnutrition in Nigeria in 2023, this partnership will make an even more significant impact in the fight against malnutrition.
“This financial help is a true recognition of our long-term commitment to fighting malnutrition,” announced Abdoulkader Boukari Yonli, CEO of NutriK. “We warmly thank Proparco for their trust. This funding allows us to take a new step in our ability to provide large-scale nutritional solutions, adapted to the needs of the most vulnerable populations in Nigeria and its neighbours, while stimulating the local economy.”
Adeline Lescanne, CEO of the Nutriset Group, added: “By strengthening local production capacities, we enhance the nutritional resilience of the most vulnerable. We are delighted with this partnership, which aligns with our commitments to develop sustainable agro-industries by adding value through the transformation of agricultural raw materials into high-quality, high-value foods.”
“We are incredibly proud to support Nutrik’s initiative to tackle child malnutrition in the vulnerable northern region of Nigeria,” said Françoise Lombard, CEO of Proparco. “This partnership is a prime example of what Proparco means by ‘Acting together for greater impact,’ and it aligns with the mandate entrusted to us through the FARM initiative to strengthen food security in Africa by supporting private-sector players.”