Ijaiye Industrial Hub to Host 40 Agribusinesses, Support 100,000 Jobs, Uplift 500,000 farmers
…As Shettima, Makinde, Adesina Flags Off Ijaiye Agro-Industrial Hub
Oyo State Governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde has projected that the new Ijaiye Agricultural hub would host over 40 agricultural and industries, providing both direct and indirect employment to more that 100,000 people, while improving the livelihoods of over 500,000 farmers across the state.
Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony of Ijaiye Agricultural Industrial Hub, Makinde described the hub as a strategic component of the state’s broader plan to revolutionize agriculture by transforming legacy farm settlements into modern, industrialized agro-clusters.
Makinde revealed that his administration has so far initiated upgrades in three of the state’s six historical farm settlements, Fashola, Eruwa, and now Ijaiye, with plans to design and handover projects for Ilora, Iresa Adu, and Ipapo to the succeeding administration.
Earlier in his address, the representatives of the Vice President, Kashim Shettima, The Minister of Agriculture and Food security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, declared that Nigeria’s future lies in harnessing its abundant Agricultural resources to drive industrialization, job creation, and inclusive economic growth.
Shettima emphasized that the initiative goes beyond infrastructure development, describing it as a “bold declaration” of the Federal government’s commitment to turning raw Agricultural produce into value-added products that stimulate the economy and improve the livelihoods of Nigerian farmers.
The Vice President underscored the importance of collaboration in achieving agricultural transformation, noting that sustainable development is only possible through “unity, innovation, and shared responsibility”.
Shettima reaffrmed President Tinubu’s unwavering commitment to agricultural transformation, revealing that plans are underway to expand the Special Agro-Processing Zones initiative to all 36 states that f the federation.
Earlier in his remarks, The President of African Development Bank, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina revealed that a total of $2.2 billion has been mobilized to fund the expansion of Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZs) across Nigeria, in a bid to boost food security l, job creation, and economic development.
The initiative, according to Adesina, is aimed at transforming Nigeria into a global agricultural powerhouse by connecting farm production with industrial processing and distribution.
Adesina emphasized that SAPZ initiative is not merely about farming, but about building integrated value chains, from produyand storage to processing and export that can unlock rural economies and expand the nation’s fiscal space.
In his address, The Director General of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Dr. Simeon Ehui, reaffrmed the institute’s commitment to supporting the Oyo State Agribusiness Industrial Hubs, particularly in Eruwa and the newly launched Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone (SAPZ) in Ijaiye.
He emphasized the institute’s readiness to provide expertise, innovation, and strategic guidance throughout the projects development.
Speaking with Journalist, the Executive Chairman Akinyele Local government, Hon. Wole Akinleye express his profound appreciation to Governor Seyi Makinde for vision of building the largest Agricultural hub in the Southwest Nigeria in Akinyele Local government, assured of preserving and taking care of the hub inorder to curb food insecurity in the state.
He called on other potential investors to come in to Akinyele for investment stressed that the local have an expanse of land for investment and promised to give potential investors leverage to invest their money in the local government.
The Oyo State Agribusiness Hubs, Once completed, will be a key part of Nigeria’s broader strategy to modernize agriculture, reduce food imports, and become a complete player in global agricultural markets.
