Kwara Confident of Agro- Industrial Processing Zone Project

 

 

Kwara Confident of Agro-Industrial Processing Zone Project

 

The Kwara State Government has expressed confidence in the viability of its Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) project, citing available infrastructure to support its successful implementation.

 

The assurance was given at the close of a three-day capacity-building workshop for the State Project Implementation Unit in Ilorin, organised by SAO Capital, the transaction advisory firm guiding the initiative.

 

Declaring the workshop open, the Commissioner for Livestock Development, Mrs. Oloruntoyosi Thomas, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Alhaji Mohammed Yahaya, said agriculture remained a strategic tool for economic transformation in the state.

 

She explained that the Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq-led administration was committed to moving beyond primary production into value-added processing, noting that the government had provided the infrastructure required for the project’s viability.

 

“The SAPZ project is a platform to bridge many gaps in our agricultural sector. His Excellency has taken a bold step to key into this initiative to revolutionise agriculture in Kwara and improve the livelihood of our people,” Thomas said.

 

The Commissioner urged participants to take advantage of the sessions to strengthen the implementation process.

 

Also speaking, the Coordinator of KW-SAPZ, Engr. Dr. Busari Toyin Isiaka, noted that the workshop was designed to equip staff with technical knowledge in project management, teamwork, stakeholder engagement, and investment portfolio management.

 

“This is not a routine workshop but a strategic platform to strengthen our capacity in driving the SAPZ vision to transform Kwara into a competitive hub for dairy and beef value chains,” he said.

 

Busari explained that the project would operationalise the Agro-Industrial Hub in Malete and strengthen four Agricultural Transformation Centres located in Afon, Olodan, Kinikini, and Gidan Mangajiya, with sustainable private sector linkages.

 

The Team Lead of SAO Capital, Mrs. Omotola Agbi, said the training was designed to roll out technical details required for effective delivery, stressing that Kwara’s commitment positioned it as a model among participating states.

 

The workshop featured technical sessions led by Engr. Temitope Famoroti and Dr. Lukman Popoola, who spoke on agro-industry and processing in Nigeria, project management, and investment strategies.