Nigeria began on Tuesday the journey to significantly transform its food and agriculture sector by launching the construction of the $510 million Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) financed by the African Development Bank and development partners.
Thousands of residents of Kaduna State in northern Nigeria braved the scorching sun and a late afternoon downpour, first time to rain in more than six months, to witness the country’s Vice President Kashim Shettima, the President of the African Development Bank Group Dr. Akinwumi Adesina and the area Governor Uba Sani lead the groundbreaking for the first of the eight SAPZ projects.
The other seven states that form part of the Phase One program are Cross River, where groundbreaking will be held on Thursday 10 April, Kano, Kwara, Imo, Ogun, Oyo, and the Federal Capital Territory. Preparations are underway for the second phase of the program, which will cover the remaining 28 States.
The Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones are expected to transform Nigeria’s rural areas into thriving economies that will end years of importing food that can be produced locally, boost national food security, produce for the export market and create jobs for millions of young Nigerians…AfDB
