…Appeals to President to integrate zone in his plans
The North East National Assembly Caucus has expressed deep concern over the exclusion of the region from the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) initiative under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
The caucus, led by Senator Danjuma Goje, raised the alarm during a press briefing at the National Assembly complex in Abuja on Thursday, following an emergency meeting to address the issue.
The lawmakers, representing Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba, and Yobe states, criticized the omission of the North East from the SAPZ programme, which they described as a critical federal project aimed at industrializing Nigeria’s agricultural sector and creating sustainable jobs.
They urged President Tinubu to immediately include the region in the initiative to ensure fairness, inclusivity, and the realization of the administration’s agricultural transformation goals.
Reading the caucus’s statement, Senator Goje highlighted the significance of the SAPZ programme, noting that it is backed by $530 million in funding from the Federal Government, the African Development Bank (AfDB), the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).
He pointed out that Vice President Kashim Shettima had flagged off Phase 1 of the project in Kaduna State on Tuesday, April 8, 2025, with seven states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) selected for implementation.
The North West (Kaduna and Kano) and South West (Ogun and Oyo) secured two zones each, while the South South, South East, and North Central received one each. The North East, however, was conspicuously absent.
“We are extremely worried that our zone, despite its enormous agricultural potential, has been excluded from this ‘presidential priority project,’ which addresses longstanding challenges in Nigeria’s agricultural value chain, including poor infrastructure, limited market access, and low-value addition,” Goje said.
He emphasized that the North East, the largest geopolitical zone in Nigeria, spans nearly one-third of the country’s landmass (272,451 km²) and is a powerhouse in livestock and crop production, contributing significantly to the nation’s GDP.
The caucus commended President Tinubu for actualizing the SAPZ programme, an initiative traced back to Dr. Akinwumi Adesina’s tenure as Agriculture Minister over a decade ago, according to the AfDB President.
However, they stressed that excluding the North East undermines the programme’s goal of transforming Nigeria’s agricultural landscape through innovation, private-sector investment, and public partnerships.
“SAPZs are designed to create agro-industrial hubs that integrate farmers with processors, reduce post-harvest losses, and expand rural economic opportunities.
Our region’s exclusion is a disservice to its people and potential,” Goje added.
Despite the National Assembly being on recess, the caucus members cut short their holidays to convene the emergency meeting, underscoring the urgency of the matter.
They called for stronger representation of the North East in federal initiatives, arguing that its inclusion in the SAPZ programme would enhance national equity and economic growth.
As the Tinubu administration pushes forward with its agricultural industrialization agenda, the North East Caucus’s outcry highlights the need for balanced regional development.
The lawmakers vowed to continue pressing for their region’s inclusion, urging the government to act swiftly to rectify the oversight and harness the North East’s vast agricultural resources for the benefit of all Nigerians.
