.SAPZs’ facilities nearing completion – Dr Yusuf

By Gabriel Ewepu

ABUJA- THE Federal Government, Tuesday, assured that efforts are made to reposition the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones, SAPZ, Programme to attract investors and boost food production.

Speaking on the sidelines of the CGN/AfDB SAPZ Programme Mid-Term Review Workshop held in Abuja, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr Marcu Ogunbuyi, said the essence of the meeting is for stakeholders to assess the performance of the Programme so far, what was done well, achieved and what can be done to improve on areas that it did not work well.

Ogunbiyi also commended development partners, the African Development Bank (AfDB), the International Fund for Agricultural Development, IFAD, and the Islamic Development Bank, IsDB, Minister of Finance and the Coordinating Minister for the Economy, the Permanent Secretary, Federal ministry of Finance and the Director International Economic Relations also in the Federal Ministry of Finance and his team for their unwavering support towards the realization of the objectives of the SAPZ Programme, saying their commitment continues to demonstrate confidence in Nigeria’s agricultural transformation agenda and our collective determination to unlock the immense potential of the country’s agribusiness sector.

The SAPZ is a government-enabled, private sector-led agro-industrialization program that establishes designated and modern agro-processing and production clusters. These clusters and zones are designed to provide a conducive environment for agribusiness to operate efficiently, leveraging on shared infrastructure, services, enabling policy to de-risk the ecosystem, and to further attract private sector investment into value-added agro-processing.

The SAPZ’s objective is to unlock opportunities of food security, importantly reduction of capital flights, forex, through imports. By reducing this import of agricultural commodities, the SAPZ will then reduce this forex.

He said: “This workshop comes at a critical point in the implementation of the SAPZ Programme. It provides us with a valuable opportunity to assess our progress, identify challenges, consolidate lessons learnt, and chart a more effective course towards achieving the ambitious objectives of this transformative initiative.

“To ensure that we know what to do, design the next steps, such that we give traction to the project. So, of course, what we are expecting next is for us to have this meeting, for us to come together, for us to examine the books, for us to share our experiences, for us to now design a better way of approaching this project.

“And I believe by the time this is done, you will see a new SAPZ coming into play. You will see the sites getting traction, and you will see the effect, the outcome that we are expecting. Of course, all this is to support the Renewed Hope Agenda of our President and to ensure that we have adequate food in the country, create wealth, and bring livelihood to Nigerians.”

Meanwhile, the National Programme Coordinator, NPC, Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone, SAPZ, Programme, Dr Kabir Yusuf, said the programme had achieved some of its objectives since it commenced operations.

“Since coming on board, when we started, we are the first team of the SAPZ. We kick-started operations in 2024, noting that this is a development finance programme, so it has strict regulations and rules and procurement processes.

“We have been able to kick-start all the infrastructure developments. We have onboarded all the contractors, both the supervision consultants and the design, build, and operate consultants.

“All of our zones are now under construction, with Ogun almost being finished. So, by the end of this year, we should have seen most of them at 70 per cent and by next year, we would now start talking operations and acceptance to tenants that would come and operate in these zones.”

He also explained that the SAPZ is to enable agribusiness operators become competitive, giving an example of processing, where a rice processor or a tomato paste processor’s major cost or capital expenditure is on power, according to him, this loan will be utilized to provide the processor with power, enabling environment, security, and a one-stop shop for all his or her approvals, to attract him or her, and to make the processor comfortable, and as “a private sector investment to not just invest but to conduct your agribusiness competitively.”

In a goodwill message, the Country Director, United Nations International Fund for Agricultural Development, UN-IFAD, Nigeria, Dede Ekoue, said with the mid-term mission and review it provide a timely opportunity to take stock of progress, reflect candidly on implementation challenges, and agree on practical measures to accelerate delivery and results.

“Mid-term reviews are not only accountability milestones; they are also strategic moments to strengthen coordination, sharpen execution, and reaffirm our shared commitment to transforming Nigeria’s agriculture through inclusive, competitive and resilient agro-industrial development.

“In this context, IFAD is proud to cooperate with the FGN, Kano and Ogun as well as AFDB and ISDB to finance SAPZ. Some of the key achievements and progress made by SAPZ in the participating states (Kano and Ogun) financed by IFAD investments include outreach of more than 17,000 smallholder farmers with agri, over 14,000 receiving climate information to enhance productivity and build resilience of the smallholder farmers, over 9,000 receiving productivity enhancing agricultural inputs.

“In addition, SAPZ through IFAD Component, has successfully linked farmers with agro—industry markets through Multistakeholder Agribusiness Forum (MAF) Considering the successes and huge need to do more, IFAD in addition to the $50 million already signed, has approved additional $50 million.”