The fertile lands of Oyo State are poised for a major transformation as the state prepares to host the groundbreaking of its Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone (SAPZ) under Phase I of the national SAPZ programme.
The ceremony, scheduled for 2 August 2025 in Ijaiye, Akinyele Local Government Area, will bring together key national and international stakeholders. Nigeria’s Vice President, Kashim Shettima, President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Dr. Akinwumi A. Adesina, and Oyo State Governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde, will headline the event alongside senior government officials, development partners, and private sector leaders.
This development marks the third groundbreaking in 2025 under Phase I of the SAPZ programme—following Kaduna and Cross River States in April—and the first in Nigeria’s southwest region.
The SAPZ initiative, a flagship of AfDB’s Feed Africa strategy, seeks to transform rural economies by driving agro-industrialisation, expanding market access, and attracting private investment. Phase I spans seven states and the Federal Capital Territory (Kaduna, Cross River, Oyo, Ogun, Kwara, Kano, Imo, and FCT) with a total financing package of $538 million co-funded by the AfDB, the Islamic Development Bank, and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), alongside federal and state governments.
With a population nearing 8 million and the largest landmass in southern Nigeria, Oyo State is one of the country’s most agriculturally endowed regions. More than 90% of its 28,454 km² is arable land. Its proximity to Lagos, Africa’s largest subnational economy, further enhances its potential as a hub for agro-industrial investment and trade.
The 300-hectare Oyo SAPZ site in Ijaiye is strategically located just 29 km from Ibadan and benefits from strong transport links, including the Chief Obafemi Awolowo Railway Station (16 km away) and an upgraded road network leading to the Samuel Ladoke Akintola Airport, which is being modernized into an international cargo facility.
The Oyo SAPZ will leverage the state’s comparative advantage in cassava, maize, poultry, soybeans, and horticulture. Beyond Ijaiye, Oyo is also developing a 2,800-hectare agribusiness hub in Eruwa with an Agricultural Transformation Centre (ATC), designed to support smallholder farmers and youth agripreneurs. Both projects are backed by a $37 million financing package from AfDB.
The launch underscores AfDB’s commitment to regionally balanced agro-industrial growth across Nigeria. Looking ahead, Phase II of the SAPZ programme is set to expand to 24 additional states, buoyed by $2.2 billion in investment interest generated at the Africa Investment Forum in December 2024.
As Oyo State breaks ground, the project signals a new chapter in Nigeria’s agro-industrial transformation—anchored on inclusive growth, infrastructure, and global market integration.