By Abbanobi -Eku Onyekachi, Abuja
The North East Senate Caucus (NESC) in the National Assembly has on Thursday decried the exclusion of its zone from the Federal Government’s (FG’s) $530 million Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) program. Despite the region’s vast agricultural potential and significant contributions to Nigeria’s GDP, none of the six states in the North East zone were included in the program’s initial phase ¹.
The SAPZ program aims to transform Nigeria’s agricultural landscape through innovation, private-sector investments, and strategic public partnerships. The program is funded by the Federal Government in partnership with the African Development Bank (AfDB), Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).
The North East zone, comprising Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba, and Yobe, has been omitted from the list of beneficiaries in the first phase of the SAPZ project. This exclusion has been described as “unjust and worrisome” by the lawmakers, who argue that it contradicts the objective of equitable development and undermines national efforts to revitalize agriculture.
The North East Caucus, led by Senator Muhammad Danjuma Goje, has called for the immediate inclusion of their region in the SAPZ program. The lawmakers argue that the North East plays a crucial role in Nigeria’s food supply, contributing significantly to the country’s GDP through livestock and crop farming.
The lawmakers demanded for: immediate inclusion of the North East zone in the SAPZ program; equitable distribution of resources and opportunities across all regions; fairness and inclusivity in the implementation of the program
According to the lawmakers, the exclusion of the North East zone from the SAPZ program may hinder the region’s economic growth and development, despite its vast agricultural potential, adding that the region’s agricultural sector contributes significantly to Nigeria’s GDP, and its exclusion from the program may limit its ability to compete with other regions.
On the area of international cooperation, the senators believe that Nigeria’s partnership with China may offer opportunities for agricultural development in the North East region, reasoning that China has expressed willingness to strengthen multilateral coordination with Nigeria, particularly in areas such as agriculture, mining, and renewable energy.
