The Chairman of the Nigeria Governor’s Forum (NGF), Dr. Kayode Fayemi, disclosed the acceptance and establishment of the Special Agro-processing Zones (SAPZs) initiative in Nigeria which he described has the capability of generating up to 4 billion dollars into the country’s economy.
Dr. Fayemi, who is also the Executive Governor of Ekiti State, at the forum’s 4th meeting held last Wednesday in Abuja, explained all states in Nigeria are prospective inheritors of the SAPZs’ initiative, which brings both farming and the processing community.
The Governor said discussions were made on the promotion of SAPZs in Nigeria by the African Development Bank (AfDB)’s rounds of high-level commitment drive.
He said that in order to fit together the readiness of various states, the AfDB and members of the forum have accepted that a co-ordinating desk of SAPZs’ initiative to be established at the NGF Secretariat in Maitama, Abuja.
LASCODA Distributes Processing Machine for Coconut
The meeting had in attendance the Governors of Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Benue, Borno, Delta, Enugu, Edo, Imo, Jigawa, Kano, Katsina, Oyo, Taraba, Zamfara, and the Deputy Governor of Cross River state.
The Special Agro-processing Zones (SAPZs) is an initiative by the African Development Bank (AfDB) designed to centralize agro-processing activities within areas of strong agricultural potential so as to boost productivity and competitiveness.
The areas identified by the AfDB for the SAPZs are in the six (6) geopolitical zones of North-East, North-Central, North-West, South-West, South-East, and South-South.
It is believed that the innovative SAPZ’s initiative will be the result of strong public and private sector partnership.
