The African Development Bank (AfDB) and its development partners have raised $2.2 billion (approximately N3.4 trillion) to implement the second phase of Nigeria’s Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) across 24 states.
Outgoing AfDB president, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, made this disclosure at the 2025 Standard Chartered Bank Africa Summit held in Lagos. He said the initiative would transform Nigeria’s agricultural sector by deepening value addition, enhancing food security, and generating employment across rural communities.
“The AfDB is investing massively in the development of Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones across Africa, enabled with infrastructure to support industries that add value to agricultural produce,” Adesina said.
The Bank has already committed $934 million to the initiative, with an additional $938 million mobilised from partners including IFAD, the Islamic Development Bank, JICA, and the West African Development Bank. Together with these partners, AfDB has also launched the Alliance for SAPZs with $3 billion in broader commitments.
SAPZ projects are ongoing at 27 sites across 11 African countries. In Nigeria, the first phase launched in eight locations: Ogun, Oyo, Cross River, Imo, Kaduna, Kwara, Kano, and the FCT. The new funding will expand the programme to 24 states.
The SAPZ model is designed to provide enabling infrastructure in rural farming communities, attract private investment, reduce post-harvest losses, and stimulate large-scale agro-processing and logistics value chains.
