Vice President Senator Kashim Shettima has led the Nigerian delegation on an operational study visit to the Glo-Djigbé Industrial Zone (GDIZ) near Cotonou, Republic of Benin. 

The visit forms part of the Federal Government’s strategy to accelerate the implementation of Nigeria’s Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) Programme by adopting regional best practices in industrialisation, value addition, and export-driven manufacturing.

The delegation included the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari; the National Programme Coordinator of SAPZ, Dr Kabir Yusuf; and the governors of Kwara, Imo, Jigawa, Plateau, Katsina, and Zamfara states. 

Received by Beninese Minister of Foreign Affairs Ambassador Corinne Amori Brunet and Minister for Industry and Trade Olushegun Adjadi Bakari, the Nigerian officials toured integrated textile processing centres and cashew processing facilities. 

Developed by the Beninese government in partnership with ARISE Integrated Industrial Platforms, the 1,640-hectare GDIZ platform transforms raw agricultural commodities like cotton and cashew nuts into export-ready finished goods.

Speaking during the inspection, Vice President Shettima stressed that African nations must shift away from exporting unprocessed raw materials to capture higher margins within global supply chains. 

He noted that while the global cotton market is valued at over 370 billion dollars, African producers retain only about one per cent of that value due to limited local processing capacity. 

Reaffirming President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, Shettima assured that the operational insights gained from GDIZ will be integrated into state-level SAPZ projects to rebuild domestic textile supply chains, attract private capital, and create jobs across participating states.

National Programme Coordinator Dr Kabir Yusuf highlighted that the study tour offers practical templates for structuring governance frameworks, public-private partnerships, and energy infrastructure across Nigeria’s SAPZ hubs. 

Supported by development partners including the African Development Bank (AfDB), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), and the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), the SAPZ programme provides dedicated infrastructure near primary farming communities to transform local agriculture into a high-yield industrial enterprise.

Source: SAPZ