The Kogi State Government says it is set to secure qualification for the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone (SAPZ II), an agricultural transformation initiative of the African Development Bank (AfDB).
This was disclosed by the Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Timothy Ojomah, following the successful presentation and defence of the feasibility plans and Environmental and Social Impacts Assessment (ESIA) report earlier submitted to the AfDB as a precondition for qualification.
Speaking to newsmen after the meeting in Abuja, Ojomah noted that the credentials of Kogi State and its strategic location make the state a top contender among over 20 states seeking to qualify for the second batch of the SAPZ in Nigeria.
He explained that Kogi’s feasibility report has several strategic advantages, including the River Niger, the Itakpe–Ajaokuta–Warri Rail Line, the state’s road network in rural and farming communities, the proposed cargo airport in Adogo and the Geregu Power Plant, all of which will provide strong support for the proposed agro-industrial hub.
He also emphasized the role of Agricultural Transformation Centres (ATCs), which will serve as production clusters supplying raw materials to processing facilities within the hub, ensuring that surrounding farming communities benefit directly from the initiative.
Ojomah noted that that at last year’s high-level AfDB policy dialogue in Abuja, Kogi was specially recognized among only a few states for its reforms and investments in agriculture, signaling the Bank’s confidence in the state’s readiness for inclusion in the SAPZII among other states in Nigeria.
The commissioner expressed optimism that the state’s infrastructure, natural resources, and agricultural potential would position Kogi favourably in the ongoing selection process by the AfDB with the qualification process moving into its final stages from May 2026.
The proposed Kogi Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone initiative aims to boost agro-industrialization, attract private sector investment, and create jobs through the integrated agricultural processing hub to be located in the Ajaokuta development corridor in the state.
