The Federal Government is targeting $1 billion agricultural investment and 500,000 jobs by 2027 from the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones Programme.
This is contained in SAPZ Fact Sheet issued by the National Programme Coordinator for SAPZ, Dr Kabir Yusuf and obtained by the media.
According to the document, the Federal Government plans to construct and rehabilitate 190 feeder roads at farm levels, thereby reducing post-harvest losses within the catchment areas.
The government, in partnership with several development financing institutions, including the African Development Bank, the International Fund for Agricultural Development, and the Islamic Development Bank, has started implementation of the first phase of the SAPZ in seven states.
SAPZ-1, which is being implemented in Cross River, Imo, Ogun, Oyo, Kaduna, Kano, and Kwara states, targets “$1bn in new investment from private sector companies within the agro-processing hubs and agricultural transformation centres, as well as 500,000 jobs disaggregated by direct and indirect age group and gender”.
The document also stated that 100,000 farmers will be trained and empowered in climate-smart agriculture by 2027.
The fact sheet estimates the total cost of SAPZ-1 at $538.05m, net of taxes.
It reads, “AfDB will provide an ADB loan of $160m (29.7 per cent of total cost), together with an Africa Growing Together Fund loan of $50m (9.3 per cent). The IsDB and IFAD will provide parallel co-financing of $150m (27.9 per cent) and $100m (18.6 per cent), respectively.
“Additional resources ($60m, 11.1 per cent) will be mobilised through the Green Climate Fund by IFAD from the IGREENFIN initiative. The Federal and State Governments will contribute $18.05 million (3.4 per cent) in both cash and kind.
“The AfDB will finance all SAPZ-1 programme components in Ogun, Oyo, Kaduna, Cross River, and Imo States. Under parallel co-financing arrangements, IFAD will finance activities under Component 2 of the programme in Kano and Ogun States and related management costs, while IsDB will finance activities across all programme components in Kano and Kwara States, as well as the Federal Capital Territory.”
Meanwhile, states had pledged to unite in combating food insecurity in the country. State leaders and stakeholders recently gathered for the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones High-Level Implementation Acceleration Dialogue at the African Development Bank to emphasise their collective ambition to transform Nigeria’s agricultural landscape, despite ongoing human and bureaucratic challenges.
The Senior Special Advisor to the President of the African Development Bank on industrialisation, Prof. Banji Oyelaran, highlighted human barriers affecting agricultural project execution in Nigeria.
“The most difficult issues we face are not technical but rather human interventions,” he remarked, noting that bureaucratic delays and personal egos often stalled vital initiatives.
He stated, “Sometimes it takes nearly nine months to resolve issues caused by a single individual’s reluctance to act.”
Oyelaran elaborated on the SAPZ initiative, designed to localise development and enhance agricultural practices.
Despite securing over $540m for the first phase, he warned that challenges in effectively disbursing those funds could hinder progress.