Partnered financing of $2.2 billion mobilized by AfDB to expand agricultural industrial zones in 24 Nigerian states
The African Development Bank (AfDB), under the leadership of President Akinwumi Adesina, has committed over $934 million towards the development of Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) in Nigeria. This initiative, aimed at transforming the agricultural sector through value chain development and industrialization, is expected to revolutionize the sector by enhancing food security, boosting domestic production, and creating thousands of jobs.
Adesina, a former Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, emphasized the need for investments to unlock the agricultural potential in Nigeria and Africa, specifically for value addition to agricultural commodities. To achieve this, he highlighted the importance of developing industrial platforms to move Africa up the agricultural value chains.
In the first phase, the bank and its partners supported the launch of SAPZ in eight states: Ogun, Oyo, Cross Rivers, Imo, Kaduna, Kwara, Kano, and the Federal Capital Territory. The initiative aimed to create thousands of direct and indirect jobs through value chain activities such as processing, packaging, logistics, and export.
The second phase of SAPZ will be implemented across 24 states in Nigeria. Co-financing for the development of the special agro-industrial processing zones comes from partners such as the International Fund for Agricultural Development, the Islamic Development Bank, Japan International Cooperation Agency, and the West African Development Bank.
The Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) initiative was designed to boost food production, reduce post-harvest losses, and attract agro-industrial investments by providing enabling infrastructure in rural farming communities. The outgoing President of AfDB, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, made this disclosure at the 2025 Standard Chartered Bank Africa Summit in Lagos.
Notably, the AfDB is investing massively in the development of Special Agro-industrial Processing Zones across Africa, equipped with infrastructure to support the establishment of industries for processing and adding value to a wide range of agricultural products. The development of the special agro-industrial processing zones is ongoing in 27 sites across 11 countries in Africa.
In addition, the Alliance for Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones has been launched with $3 billion in commitments. However, the partners involved in financing Phase II of the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones in 24 states of Nigeria, as well as the details of their joint contribution, are not specified in the available search results.
This commitment by the AfDB is a significant step towards unlocking the potential of Nigeria's agricultural sector and boosting food security across the continent. The bank's efforts, in partnership with various organisations, are expected to create a ripple effect, inspiring similar initiatives and fostering a thriving agricultural industry in Africa.
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