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From Emmanuel Adeyemi, Lokoja
Kogi State government said it has taken a significant step in advancing its international partnerships aimed at accelerating the implementation of its Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone (SAPZ) programme.
The SAPZ initiative is a strategic agro-industrial platform designed to boost food production, enhance processing capacity, create employment opportunities, attract private sector investment and position Kogi State as a leading agricultural and industrial hub in Nigeria.
A statement by the Commissioner for Information and Communication, Kingsley Fanwo, stressed that central to the engagement was the development of a modern agricultural science and technology industrial park in Kogi State.
“The project aligns with the broader SAPZ framework and is expected to drive agro-processing, facilitate agricultural technology transfer, support equipment deployment, promote enterprise incubation, strengthen logistics and cold chain systems, enhance export infrastructure and provide sustainable power solutions.
The Kogi SAPZ structure comprises the Ajaokuta Agro-Industrial Hub, alongside Agricultural Transformation Centres in Anyigba, Alape and Osara, as well as the Zariagi Agro-Air Hub.
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According to a statement, the programme was designed to integrate existing farmer clusters with an additional 150,000 hectares of farmland per zone, creating opportunities for large-scale, tenant-driven agricultural production.
It emphasised that priority value chains under the SAPZ include rice, maize, cassava, livestock and poultry, sesame, cashew, oil palm and greenhouse farming. The programme also incorporates critical support systems such as warehousing, cold chain logistics, power solutions, compressed natural gas (CNG), agricultural technology, equipment deployment and agro-export infrastructure.
The state delegation was led by Alhaji Yakubu Okala, Auditor General of Kogi State and Project Investment Adviser, who represented the governor. Other members included the Commissioner for Agriculture, Ojomah Timothy; Technical Adviser to the Governor’s Office, Dr. Abdullahi Ozomata; Chief Economic Adviser to the State, Alhaji Aliyu Inda Salami and Project Consultant/Managing Director of Pulse Engineering and Consulting Limited, Mr. David Lekan Obatolu.
During the visit, Fanwo said the delegation toured key Hezheng facilities, including its investment promotion centre, agricultural industry exhibition hall, global launch hall and live-streaming incubation base.
He added that the tour provided valuable insights into Hezheng’s industrial park management model, enterprise support systems, agricultural technology integration and cross-border market development strategies.
