Global development partners, including the African Development Bank (AfDB), International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), and the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), joined the Nigerian government and seven state governments in Kano to review the progress of the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone (SAPZ) initiative.
The SAPZ program, an ambitious agro-industrialization effort, seeks to transform Nigeria’s agricultural landscape, boosting food security and creating new jobs through agro-processing hubs across the country.
The initiative, which includes the states of Kano, Imo, Kaduna, Cross River, Kwara, Oyo, and Ogun, is designed to foster private-sector investment in agriculture.
This approach aims to turn farming into a profitable, large-scale enterprise, while enhancing Nigeria’s GDP through agro-industrial growth, rural poverty alleviation, and job creation.
IFAD Country Director, Mrs Dede Ekoue, praised Kano’s proactive support for SAPZ, citing the project’s role in equipping farmers and processors with essential skills and resources to thrive in the agro-industrial sector.
“IFAD’s focus through SAPZ is to strengthen farmers’ capacity and align them with new and emerging agro-industries,” Ekoue stated.
The National Coordinator of SAPZ, Dr. Kabir Yusuf, highlighted Kano’s lead role in the program, backed by a budget allocation of $130 million for infrastructure and development.
Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf, represented by the Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr. Danjuma Mahmood, reaffirmed the state’s commitment to providing timely funding to the SAPZ program, emphasizing Kano’s position as an agricultural powerhouse and a strategic hub for rice production and agro-processing, with markets across West Africa.
