Agribusiness Investment Officer at Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture (CNFA)

Program Description

• The five-year USAID Feed the Future Nigeria Agribusiness Investment Activity, implemented by CNFA as part of the United States Government’s Feed the Future Initiative, strengthens the business enabling environment to promote private sector investment in agriculture. To achieve this goal, the activity focuses on three interrelated components: improving the ease of doing business in the agricultural sector; broadening access to finance by mitigating the credit risks of agribusinesses; and promoting investment opportunities for agribusinesses to expand and scale up operations. In line with the U.S. and Nigerian Government’s commitment to growing the non-oil based economy, these efforts will increase the quality, quantity, market access, and diversification of Nigeria’s agribusiness sector.
• Beginning in December 2018 and closing in 2023, this $15.6 million project aims to integrate thousands of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and producer organizations as high-performing commercial actors in the value chains for rice, maize, soy, aquaculture, and cowpeas. As a result of streamlined regulations, more effective policies, improved production and processing practices, and significantly increased finance and investment flows, the project will increase the competitiveness and returns of both large and small sale agricultural enterprises. Employing a value chain approach, the Agribusiness Investment Activity aims to facilitate $100 million in new investment and $75 million in finance across the 5 crops in 7 designated States: Kaduna, Niger, Kebbi, Benue, Delta, Ebonyi, and Cross River.  

Position Description

• Reporting to the Director of Finance and Investment, the Agribusiness Investment Officer focuses on identifying and linking investors and grant programs to investment ready or nearly ready, large and SME agribusinesses in the Activity’s select value chains and geographies.  The Agribusiness Investment Officer also works very closely with the Agribusiness and Agribusiness Finance and Investment Teams

Duties and Responsibilities

• Identify foreign and domestic investment funds, networks, and groups who have an expressed interest in investing in the agriculture/agribusiness sector.  These may include diaspora, angel investors, impact investors, venture capital, private equity to mention a few.
• Identify grant and other programs aimed to support the growth and expansion of the agribusiness sector, with an emphasis on youth and women-owned enterprises.
• Working with the Agribusiness Finance Specialist and the Agribusiness Team, identify small, medium, and large enterprises seeking equity capital, grants, and other forms of non-repayable capital to elevate their businesses to the next level.
• Responsible for all investment deal pipeline sourcing and collation, regulatory liaison, strategic partners and potential investors scouting.
• Responsible for investment and credit analysis on agribusiness opportunities/transactions.
• Provide support to the agribusinesses in negotiating with the investors on deal structure and terms.  Facilitate commercially viable linkages and provide training, technical assistance and other advisory services to these players, resulting in the closing of investment, grant, and other transactions.
• Assist in the development and management of a fund mobilization platform to increase private commercial investment for off-farm agribusinesses, with an emphasis on SMEs.
• Ensuring that stakeholders, other donor funded projects, Government of Nigeria programs and beneficiaries are aware of and interested in collaborating with the Activity, resulting in achieving as much leverage as possible.
• Meeting with agribusinesses to develop a strong understanding of the legal, regulatory, and other barriers constraining agribusiness investment in each crop/location, and in association with the Enabling Environment Policy Unit, actively contribute to the development of a clear and coherent vision for the reduction of these barriers.
• Backstopping and supporting other long- and short-term finance and investment specialists;
• Contribute to the development of finance, investment and policy components to increase the reach and capacity of agribusiness entrepreneurship and business development support organizations through a series of collaborative stakeholder workshops.
• Perform other duties related to the above as requested by the Director of Finance and Investment or her designate.

Qualifications

• At least 7 years of relevant, progressively responsible experience is required;
• Master’s degree in Economics, Agricultural Economics, Business Administration, Finance or another related field is strongly preferred;
• Proven track record in developing, analyzing, and implementing projects focused on agribusinesses, agricultural finance, and agricultural value chains;
• Experience in Nigeria required; experience in other West African countries a plus;
• Experience with other donor funded projects, especially USAID, is preferred;
• Demonstrated experience in facilitating private-sector investments and familiarity with the workings of Government of Nigeria legal and regulatory frameworks at the National and State levels;
• Able to maintain a rigorous focus on project deliverables, indicators and results, including being able to engage stakeholders to capitalize on any shared efficiencies;
• A self-starter with a strong work ethic and a focus on results; and
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English is required, knowledge of local languages is an advantage.