The SG2000-Nigeria country program began in March 1992, under an agreement signed with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources (FMARNR) to work with federal and state agencies to raise agricultural productivity and improve food crop marketing. The major objectives of SG2000-Nigeria were to raise the crop management skills of front-line extension staff and smallholder farmers in order to increase crop production and productivity. Given the size of Nigeria, it was agreed that SG2000-Nigeria would work in the north, a high-potential agricultural area of the country. More than 2,000 extension agents and 1 million smallholder farmers in eight states of the north have participated in the program. Thousands of demonstration plots (then called Management Training Plots) were established with participating farmers in the diffusion of improved wheat, maize, rice, cowpea, soybean, groundnut, millet, sorghum, and sesame cassava technologies.

SG2000-Nigeria has worked mainly with and through the Agricultural Development Projects (ADPs) established in participating states. The participating ADPs have assigned State and Zonal Coordinators and Extension Agents (EAs) to implement jointly planned field programs. SG2000-Nigeria supplements the in-service training of ADP staff that, in turn, provide on-the-ground training to participating farmers to ensure successful technology transfer, while assisting them in obtaining inputs and solving day-to-day problems affecting food crop productivity.

Similarly SG2000 worked with both public and private institutions as development partners in carrying out its thematic mandates in the country. These partners include but not limited to: Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD), State Governments through the Ministries of Agriculture and Agricultural Development Projects (ADPs), Universities, National Research Institutes (IAR, NAERLS. LCRI, NCRI), IITA, ICRISAT, UASID/MARKETS II, NIRSAL, Agricultural Input Agencies, Traditional Leaders, Farmers and Farmer Organizations.

SG2000-Nigeria is active in seven states (Adamawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Jigawa, Kano, Kaduna, and Zamfara). In each state where we operate, the Agricultural Development Programs (ADPs) assign a state coordinator and two to three zonal coordinators, depending on the state and the number of front-line extension agents that have direct contact with the farmers. The Country Director manages the country program and works with thematic directors and staff to ensure that excellence is achieved in program planning and execution. SG2000 partnership with FMARD covers Anambra, Benue, Cross Rivers, Gombe, Katsina and Ogun States.