The African Development Bank (AfDB) and the State government of Kaduna are kickstarting the construction of Phase 1 of the Special Agro-industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) programme
The groundbreaking ceremony began on 8 April in Kaduna, where the chief guest, AfDB Group president, Dr Akinwumi Adesina, will join Nigeria’s vice president, Kashim Shettima, and the State Governor of Kaduna, Uba Sani. From Kaduna, Dr Adesina will head to Cross River State, where, together with the Federal Government and the State Governor, Bassey Edet Otu, a second groundbreaking ceremony will take place.
The Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones programme will boost Nigeria’s food production and reduction importation, generate jobs for youth, safeguard the country’s foreign exchange, and transform rural areas from areas of misery into zones of prosperity. The initiative will increase agricultural productivity by over 60%, reduce post-harvest losses and strengthen value chains from farm to market. The cities of Kaduna and Cross River will host the Agro-Industrial Hubs, Agricultural Transformation Centers, and Aggregation Centers in the production zones, which are the foundational building blocks of the SAPZ programme.
The programme has the potential to create more than 60,000 jobs in each of the pioneering states. The sites were strategically selected for their agricultural potential, infrastructure readiness, and prime geographical location, ensuring they drive Nigeria’s agro-industrial growth.
Nigeria's agri sector enters new era of industrialisation
The programme has the potential to create more than 60,000 jobs in each of the pioneering states. (Image source: AfDB)
