The Federal Government, in partnership with the African Development Bank (AfDB), is set to hold the groundbreaking ceremony for the Oyo State Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone (SAPZ) on August 2, marking a key milestone in Nigeria’s agricultural transformation agenda.
According to a statement issued by the AfDB on Thursday in Abuja, the event will take place at the SAPZ Phase I site in Atan, Ijaiye, located in Akinyele Local Government Area of Oyo State. The project covers a 29-kilometre area and is supported by the Oyo State Government and several international development partners.
Leading the ceremony will be AfDB President, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, alongside senior Nigerian government officials and representatives from co-funding institutions including the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), and the Africa Grow Together Fund.
The Oyo SAPZ becomes the third zone inaugurated under Phase I of the programme, following earlier groundbreakings in Kaduna and Cross River States in April. With this, the initiative officially expands into Nigeria’s southwest, reinforcing the national commitment to rural industrialisation through agro-based development.
Strategically located on 300 hectares of land near the Lagos-Ibadan Railway Line, the Oyo SAPZ aims to unlock critical agricultural value chains, particularly in cassava, maize, poultry, and horticulture. It is expected to enhance food security, stimulate job creation, and attract agribusiness investments by leveraging improved logistics and market access.
Describing the initiative as AfDB’s largest agriculture-focused investment in Africa, the statement highlighted its alignment with the Bank’s Feed Africa High 5 agenda. The SAPZ programme is backed by a total financing package of $538 million, jointly funded by AfDB, IsDB, IFAD, and the Africa Grow Together Fund.
“This project represents Nigeria’s strategic drive towards agro-industrialisation by leveraging public-private partnerships to modernise agriculture and create inclusive prosperity across the value chain,” the AfDB noted.
It also reaffirmed the Bank’s long-standing development partnership with Nigeria, which spans over five decades and includes nearly $11 billion in cumulative commitments—with agriculture remaining a key focus area.
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