Agriculture remains an important part of Nigeria’s economy, but millions of smallholder farmers continue to face difficulties accessing the financial services, farm inputs and markets they need to grow their businesses.
For many of these farmers, the challenge goes beyond producing crops. Accessing loans, receiving payments and obtaining reliable information can be difficult, particularly in rural communities where traditional banking services and digital infrastructure remain limited.
This is the gap that Nigerian entrepreneur Michael Ogundare and his co-founders set out to address through Crop2Cash, an agricultural technology company developing digital solutions for farmers and businesses across the agricultural value chain.
As co-founder and chief executive officer, Ogundare has helped build a platform that uses technology to connect smallholder farmers with financial services, agricultural inputs and other opportunities.
From Computer Science to Agriculture
Ogundare studied Computer Science at the University of Ibadan, graduating in 2017. His background in software development provided the technical foundation for his eventual move into agricultural technology.
However, his decision to work in agriculture was not simply about developing another software product. It involved identifying practical problems within an industry that supports millions of Nigerians but continues to face structural challenges.
In 2018, Ogundare co-founded Crop2Cash alongside Emem Essien, who has a background in agricultural economics and rural development, and Seyi Alabi, an agronomist.
The founding team’s different areas of expertise brought together technology, agricultural knowledge and an understanding of farming communities.
Crop2Cash officially began operations in May 2018, initially focusing on improving how agricultural businesses and processors managed their relationships with farmers and suppliers.
Building Technology Around Agricultural Challenges
Crop2Cash’s early product, Supply Base, was designed to help agro-processors digitise their supply chains.
At the time, many businesses relied on paper records and spreadsheets to manage information about farmers, produce quality, deliveries and other operations. These processes could make it difficult to monitor agricultural production and coordinate activities across different departments.
Crop2Cash developed software that connected these activities, helping processors manage their operations and access information more efficiently.
The company also worked with farmers and agricultural extension agents in Kebbi State, helping stakeholders improve access to information about farmers and their expected harvests.
Its approach was built around the idea that improving the market and supply-chain systems could also create better opportunities for farmers.
When the First Approach Was Not Enough
One of the most significant parts of Crop2Cash’s journey was the need to rethink how it reached its intended users.
The company initially experimented with a Facebook Messenger bot as part of its effort to connect farmers to agricultural services. However, the product did not adequately address the realities of many rural farmers, particularly those without smartphones or dependable internet connections.
The COVID-19 pandemic also created difficulties for the young company. The founders faced financial pressure and had to reconsider how they could keep the business operating.
Rather than continue building around technology that many farmers could not easily access, Crop2Cash shifted towards simpler tools.
The company developed a USSD-based service that allows farmers to access selected financial and agricultural services using basic mobile phones.
This change reflected an important lesson in the company’s development: technology must be accessible to the people it is intended to serve.
Connecting Farmers to Financial Services
Through its CashCard platform and USSD services, Crop2Cash helps smallholder farmers establish digital financial identities, receive payments and access services that can support their farming activities.
The platform also connects farmers to agricultural inputs, including seeds and fertilisers, while providing access to advisory information.
Its services are designed to reduce some of the barriers farmers encounter when dealing with formal financial institutions and suppliers.
The company has also used data and machine-learning technology to support the assessment of farmers’ creditworthiness, making it easier for financial institutions to evaluate potential agricultural borrowers.
According to the Groupe special mobile, more than 80,000 farmers were using Crop2Cash’s USSD solution as of March 2025 to access agricultural inputs, financing and advisory support.
Recognition and Business Growth
Crop2Cash’s work has attracted support from technology and entrepreneurship development programmes.
The company participated in the 2020 Google for Startups Accelerator: Africa cohort, where its team received training and mentorship to improve its technology and products.
In 2021, it was also selected for Google’s Black Founders Fund, receiving funding, cloud credits and additional support.
Google reported that Crop2Cash had grown its user base from 25,000 in 2020 to 300,000 in 2022, while also raising additional funding and developing new partnerships.
These milestones provided the company with opportunities to improve its services and expand its reach among farming communities.
Building a More Accessible Agricultural Economy
For Ogundare and his co-founders, the work at Crop2Cash goes beyond introducing technology into agriculture. It involves making essential services more accessible to farmers who have traditionally been left out of formal financial and digital systems.
By combining software development with agricultural knowledge, the company is attempting to address challenges that affect farmers, processors, suppliers and financial institutions.
Its experience also highlights an important consideration for technology businesses operating in emerging markets: solutions must reflect the realities of their users.
As Crop2Cash continues developing its financial and agricultural services, its growth will depend on how effectively it can deepen adoption, build partnerships and deliver practical value to farming communities.
For Ogundare, the journey from computer science into agritech has become an opportunity to apply technology to one of Nigeria’s most important economic sectors.
REFERENCES
- Acumen Academy – Michael Ogundare
- Techpoint Africa – How Ibadan-based Crop2Cash is digitising the agric value chain, one crop at a time
- Google for Startups – Crop2Cash is promoting prosperity through agricultural innovations
- Groupe special mobile – Crop2Cash
- TechCabal – Day 1–1000 of Crop2Cash: We chose accessibility over sophistication, every time
