By Noah Ebije, Kaduna
Dr Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), has hailed Kaduna State as the pioneer in launching Nigeria’s first Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone (SAPZ). He spoke on Tuesday during a courtesy visit to Sir Kashim Ibrahim House in Kaduna.
Adesina praised Governor Uba Sani’s dedication to agriculture. He highlighted the state’s budget increase for the sector, from N1.4 billion to N74 billion. “You didn’t just put your money where your mouth is—you put your money where your mind and your body are,” he said, earning applause from attendees. “Kaduna’s leadership on this project reflects not just a vision for food security, but a roadmap for economic prosperity and inclusive development.”
He called Kaduna a trailblazer. “You are the first state to launch the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone in Nigeria,” Adesina said. “This is a great day for us all.” He also lauded the state’s hospitality, joking, “Not only did we get hospitality here in Kaduna, I think we got maternity too—because your Deputy Governor is a medical doctor.”
Adesina pledged AfDB support for Kaduna, including expanding school feeding programmes tied to the SAPZ, and boosting primary healthcare, health insurance, water, sanitation, and digitalisation. “We’re proud to partner with a government that listens, that leads with compassion, and that is open to all,” he said, describing Sani as “a model leader—he’s a listener, a unifier, and above all, a doer.”
Governor Sani returned the praise, calling Adesina “a blessing to Nigeria, Africa, and humanity” for his transformative work in agriculture. He noted Adesina’s past E-Wallet initiative as Nigeria’s Agriculture Minister, which aided over 15 million smallholder farmers, especially in the North. “It could have addressed financial exclusion and insecurity in Northern Nigeria,” Sani said.
He tied agriculture to Kaduna’s economy. “In Kaduna, agriculture contributes about 42 percent of our GDP and accounts for about 60 percent of employment,” Sani explained. “This is why we raised the agricultural budget from N1.4 billion in 2023 to N74 billion now, meeting the 2014 Malabo Declaration’s 10 percent target—the first sub-national government to do so.” He called the SAPZ launch a vital step for the state.