Nigeria’s Vice President, Kashim Shettima, has said the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone will catalyse economic growth by creating thousands of jobs and empowering Nigerian youths.
SAPZ is an initiative designed to boost agricultural productivity, enhance food security, and promote industrialisation in the agricultural sector.
Addressing dignitaries and stakeholders on Tuesday at the vast expanse of land designated for the facility in Daki-Takwas, along the Kaduna-Abuja Expressway, Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State, Shettima described the SAPZ as a strategic milestone in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s plan to industrialise Nigeria’s agriculture sector and create sustainable jobs across the country.
“The initiative will catalyse economic growth by creating thousands of jobs and empowering Nigerian youths. We are not just breaking ground. We are building the infrastructure to feed our people, empower our youth, and fulfil the economic promise of our nation.
“This is not just about bricks and mortar. It is about people. It is about the resilience of our farmers, the ingenuity of our entrepreneurs, and the commitment of our government to build a future that works for everyone,” the Vice President said.
Shettima described the SAPZ as a “presidential priority project” and a direct response to the longstanding challenges facing Nigeria’s agricultural value chain, including poor infrastructure, limited access to markets, and low value addition.
The VP noted that while the nation could not afford to be chained to outdated systems while the world moves with urgency towards innovation, the SAPZ initiative is a strategy that “lays the foundation for real economic transformation”.
The President of the African Development Bank, Dr Akinwunmi Adesina, called for continued political will.
Adesina pointed out the critical role of policy consistency in ensuring the success and sustainability of Africa’s long-delayed agricultural transformation.
He revealed that the AfDB has committed over $934 million towards the SAPZ programme across Africa, with an additional $938m mobilised from partners.
“Projects like these cannot thrive in the face of policy uncertainty,” Dr Adesina remarked.
“The continuity and success of these initiatives depend on governments maintaining a stable policy environment that supports farmers, investors, and stakeholders across the value chain.”
“The agro-industrial transformation, which took 11 years to fully take off, has been designed to address the longstanding challenges of food insecurity and economic disparity. Central to the strategy are Special Agro-Industrial Zones, which promise to integrate smallholder farmers into value chains, stimulate job creation, and modernise Africa’s agricultural systems.”
However, Adesina stressed that achieving these goals requires more than just funding and technology. “The most innovative solutions mean little without the backbone of consistent policies,” he warned. He pointed to past projects that faltered due to policy reversals and governance changes, urging African governments to take a long-term view when implementing development programmes.
Also speaking, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, said the programme was set to attract investment into locally produced farm produce.
“It is designed to commence in eight locations, and the second phase is almost completed. More effectively addressing the challenges of our time, the ministry is committed to fostering innovation. Together, we can transform Nigeria’s agricultural landscape, empower our farmers, and uplift our country,” he said.
Kaduna State Governor, Alhaji Murtala Dabo, said, “Dr Akinwunmi Adesina, your passion for food security has impacted many. Agriculture must become a vehicle for inclusive development. The SAPZ project is entering a new frontier, and through this, Kaduna will be a hub for agro-processing, creating thousands of decent jobs. Kaduna is leveraging key crops in alignment with its geographical advantage to reduce transportation time significantly.”
