What: High-Level Dialogue on Accelerating the Implementation of the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) program in Nigeria
Who:
The African Development Bank, Federal Government of Nigeria, State Governments, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), and Islamic Development Bank (IsDB)
When:
07 October - 08 October 2024; 09.00 am (WAT) daily
Where:
Abuja, Nigeria (in-person)
The African Development Bank Group is partnering with the Federal Government of Nigeria to host a 2-day event on the Bank-supported Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) program:
Day 1, Monday October 7, 2024: High-Level Dialogue in Abuja, to be attended by ministers, state governors, and representatives of the Bank Group, and other funders and key stakeholders, to accelerate the implementation of the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) program in Nigeria. The dialogue will address the unforeseen risks and challenges faced since the launch of the program, and highlight the successes of collective efforts aimed at resolving these issues. At the end, a communique will be issued highlighting the renewed commitment and action plans by all participating states to fast-track the implementation of agreed milestones and targets.
Day 2, Tuesday October 8, 2024: Technical session hosted by the Bank, for state government officials involved in the implementation of the program
About the SAPZ Nigeria Program:
The SAPZ program is an initiative of the Federal Government of Nigeria, being implemented by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAFS) with joint financing and support from the African Development Bank (AfDB), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), and the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB).
The program, which is designed to accelerate sustainable agro-industrial development, in areas of comparative advantage, will support the development and enhancement of value chains for strategic crops (including rice, cassava, ginger, tomatoes) and livestock in Nigeria. The zones will also facilitate private-sector investments to increase the production, aggregation, and processing of the agricultural products.
The seven Nigerians states - drawn from the six geopolitical zones of the country - and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), selected for the first phase of implementation include, Cross River (cocoa, rice, and cassava); Imo (beef and dairy livestock); Kaduna (tomato, maize, and ginger); Kano (rice, tomato, groundnuts, and sesame oil); Kwara (livestock), Ogun (cassava, rice, poultry, and fisheries); and Oyo (cassava, soybean, rice); and the Federal Capital Territory (beef and dairy livestock).
Future phases will expand the program to other states in the country.
Each SAPZ will deliver infrastructure (transport, power, water and processing) and facilitate improved access to finance and markets, and technology transfer. The zones are expected to l boost household incomes, support rural economies, create jobs, enhance food security, and contribute to the overall economic growth of the nation.
The African Development Bank is supporting the development of Special Agro Processing Zones in 18 African countries. Nigeria's SAPZ is the largest in scale and scope.
For more information on the Nigerian SAPZ program, visit: https://www.afdb.org/en/sapz-nigeria
SAPZ Nigeria Program in numbers (Phase 1):
8 - Number of Nigerian States participating in the first phase of implementation (7 States and the FCT)
19 percent - Portion of Nigeria's land mass covered by the implementation of the project
400,000 - Number of direct jobs to be created, during construction and operational phases
1.6 million - Estimated number of indirect jobs that will be created by the program
1.5 million - Number of households that will benefit from the implementation of the first phase
50 million - Population of Nigerians living in areas covered by the implementation of the project
$538.05 million - Value of the joint financing being provided for the implementation of the first phase: African Development Bank: $210 million; Islamic Development Bank and the International Fund for Agricultural Development jointly contributing $310 million; Nigerian government: $18.05 million.
