The Federal Government has secured renewed funding commitment from the African Development Bank (AfDB) to roll out the second phase of the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ).
Phase 2 will expand the programme to 24 additional states, scaling up from the initial eight states and the FCT, with a focus on climate-resilient infrastructure and inclusive agro-industrial growth to diversify Nigeria’s economy into value-added agricultural exports.
Vice President Kashim Shettima, who made the request in New York during a bilateral meeting with AfDB President, Dr Sidi Ould Tah, stressed that Nigeria, as the bank’s largest shareholder with a portfolio exceeding $10 billion, deserves stronger support to drive agricultural transformation and digital innovation.
The Vice President noted Nigeria’s vast agro-ecological potential and youthful population, urging AfDB to also channel funding into innovation-driven enterprises. He highlighted that five of Africa’s eight unicorns already hail from Nigeria, underscoring the country’s capacity to lead the continent’s digital growth.
Nigeria’s Minister of Environment, Mallam Balarabe Lawal, appealed for AfDB’s intervention in the Great Green Wall Project and clean cooking initiatives, while the Minister of Housing, Alhaji Ahmed Dangiwa, sought support to bridge the housing deficit.
In his response, Dr Tah pledged AfDB’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s transformation, outlining a four-point agenda that includes mobilising large-scale capital, reforming Africa’s financial systems, harnessing demographic dividends, and industrialising the continent.
Earlier, VP Shettima also met with the Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis, Dr Terrance Drew, where both leaders reaffirmed commitment to strengthening Africa-Caribbean ties in trade, culture, and shared heritage.
📩 Reported by: Stone Reporters News
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