Abstract
Access to affordable and inclusive finance remains a critical constraint to agricultural development in Nigeria, where smallholder farmers face persistent challenges in securing credit from conventional institutions. Qard Ḥasan (QH), an interest-free, Sharia-compliant financing instrument, has been promoted as a potential alternative, yet empirical evidence on its determinants in sub-Saharan Africa is scarce. This study examined the factors influencing access to QH agricultural finance among rural farmers in Kwara State, Nigeria. A cross-sectional survey design was employed, drawing on data from 400 farming households selected through a multi-stage sampling technique. Primary data were collected via structured questionnaires and key informant interviews with Islamic finance providers and community leaders. Descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression were used to analyze the data. Findings revealed that only 34% of respondents had accessed QH despite relatively high awareness levels (61.5%). Logistic regression results indicated that education, cooperative membership, financial literacy, awareness of QH, farm size, farm income, and proximity to finance providers significantly increased the probability of access (p < 0.05). Conversely, gender disparities were evident, with male farmers more likely to access QH than females, while age and household size were not significant predictors. The study concludes that access to QH is shaped more by institutional and informational factors than by demographic characteristics alone. It recommends strengthening cooperative frameworks, promoting financial literacy, addressing gender barriers, and leveraging digital delivery systems to enhance inclusion. Embedding Qard Ḥasan within broader Islamic social finance ecosystems such as zakat and waqf could also improve sustainability and scale.