The Federal Government has announced a commitment of $538.05 million towards the establishment of Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) across the country, aimed at transforming Nigeria’s food systems and boosting agricultural productivity.
The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, disclosed this on Monday in Abuja during the Community of Practice Summit on the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP).
Kyari said the investment is part of a broader strategy to make Nigeria’s food systems more productive, resilient, inclusive, and sustainable. According to him, the Federal Government, in partnership with the private sector, has already launched Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone (SAPZ) projects in Kaduna, Cross River, and Ogun States, with more to follow.
“Alongside other interventions, the Federal Government has provided 2,000 tractors and related implements to boost agricultural production. We have also launched the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones in Kaduna, Cross River, and Ogun States, with others coming on board. Under this project, the country has committed substantial investments of $538.05 million, leveraging the private sector in the establishment of industrial hubs and agricultural transformation centres. The zones are projected to stimulate a total of $1 billion in investments by 2027,” he stated.
Kyari noted that the government’s initiatives aim to promote agricultural transformation and attract more private investment in the sector. He highlighted the creation of an Agricultural Sector Working Group comprising research institutions, development partners, the private sector, and civil society stakeholders to monitor progress, identify gaps, and promote accountability in agricultural development.
He added that Nigeria’s achievements in agriculture have been recognised by the African Union, noting that the country has made significant progress over the past decade in the biennial review of agricultural development.
Speaking on the Nigeria Postharvest Systems Transformation Programme, the minister explained that the initiative was recently presented at the African Food Systems Summit in Dakar and targets a reduction in annual post-harvest losses estimated at ₦3.5 trillion.
“At the recently concluded African Food Systems Summit in Dakar, I hosted a deal room with investors and other critical stakeholders on the Nigeria Postharvest Systems Transformation Programme (NiPHaST), which aims to reduce massive annual post-harvest inefficiencies valued at ₦3.5 trillion and strengthen value chains for national food security and sovereignty,” Kyari said.
He explained that these investments will lead to a more efficient, sustainable, and equitable food system that will improve farmers’ incomes, enhance livelihoods, reduce waste, and strengthen value chains. The initiative, he said, will contribute significantly to economic growth and food security in the country.
The minister noted that the SAPZs are designed to promote value addition, create employment, strengthen agricultural value chains, and ensure food security in line with Nigeria’s commitments to CAADP and the Malabo Declaration.
He also called for stronger collaboration between the federal and state governments, stressing that synergy and shared responsibility are key to achieving sustainable food security and resilient livelihoods. “The Federal Government stands ready to collaborate with all stakeholders to drive the reforms needed to build robust, equitable, and sustainable food systems across all regions,” Kyari added.
The Head of Development Cooperation, German Development Cooperation, Dr Karin Jansen, also spoke at the summit and reaffirmed Germany’s support for agricultural reforms in Nigeria and across Africa. She explained that the global project, Sustainable Agricultural Systems and Policies (AgSys), commissioned by the German Development Cooperation, supports reforms in nine partner countries across Africa and Asia, as well as at regional and global levels.
According to Jansen, the project seeks to strengthen sustainable agricultural transformation by connecting food security, climate action, and biodiversity conservation to ensure food systems operate within planetary boundaries. “It promotes the scaling up of local innovations, embedding successful practices into national and regional policies to bridge local priorities with global agendas and reinforce reform processes,” she said.
She added that AgSys engages civil society, women, and youth to promote inclusive transformation, while aligning financial contributions to create sustainable funding systems that support long-term agricultural resilience.
“At the continental level, the African Union’s Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme was updated in 2025 through the Kampala Declaration, which serves as a renewed commitment to driving productivity, food security, and sustainable food systems. The Kampala Agenda builds upon National Agriculture Investment Plans and the Biennial Review process, with 2025 serving as a transition year for AU institutions and member states to prepare for its rollout,” Jansen explained.
She noted that Germany, through the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), has reaffirmed its partnership with the African Union on CAADP and the Kampala Agenda as central frameworks for agricultural transformation across Africa.
Support, she added, includes additional funding for the GIZ AgSys project, the deployment of experts through the Global Programme PeoPLE, and coordination with other development partners, including the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture’s Agricultural Policy Dialogue.
Also speaking, the Chairperson of the Coalition of NGOs in Agriculture and Sustainable Development, Rosemary Effiong, said stakeholders remain committed to partnering with the government and international organisations to strengthen agroecological practices and promote sustainable food systems.
Effiong stated that civil society groups will continue to advocate for the harmonisation of regional and continental trade policies in line with the CAADP Kampala Declaration. She also pledged support for the implementation of the National Agrifood System Investment Plan to drive inclusive and sustainable growth.
She called for stronger advocacy for increased agricultural budget allocation, timely fund releases, and effective utilisation of funds at all levels of government. Effiong further urged the promotion of homestead gardening in both rural and urban communities, as well as the inclusion of bio-fortification and nutrition-sensitive agriculture across Nigeria.
She emphasised the importance of inclusive social safety net programmes, improved rural infrastructure, and gender-responsive policies that ensure land access and increased farm inputs for women, youth, and persons with disabilities.
Effiong also highlighted the need for capacity building and the development of local seed banking systems, the promotion of Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), and increased knowledge of climate-resilient agriculture to protect livelihoods and ecosystems.
She called for the adoption of open data standards in agriculture and food systems, and the inclusion of non-state actors in government monitoring and evaluation systems to improve transparency and accountability.
Effiong further appealed for the integration of the CAADP Non-State Actors Group Nigeria into the development, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of the 10-year Strategic Action Plan (2026–2035). She also urged the domestication of the CAADP Kampala Declaration across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
She stressed the importance of implementing the CAADP commitment to allocate at least 10 per cent of national, state, and local government budgets to agriculture, ensuring timely releases and improved performance.
Effiong emphasised that boosting rural infrastructure and services such as roads, irrigation, storage facilities, markets, and ICT access will help drive agricultural productivity. She also called for increased investment in extension services, credit access for women and youth, labour-saving technologies, post-harvest loss reduction, research and development, and climate-resilient agriculture.