The National Assembly’s North-east Caucus has protested against the zone’s absence from the $530 million Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) the Federal Government of Nigeria is implementing.

The committee, comprised of senators from all six states and members of the House of Representatives, said it was unacceptable that none of the states were included and asked President Bola Tinubu to include them.

Following an emergency meeting held in the Senate wing of the National Assembly on Thursday, April 10, in Abuja, which lasted about two hours, the caucus, led by Chairman Senator Muhammad Danjuma Goje, expressed disappointment that, despite the Northeast being the leading region in livestock and agriculture in the country, none of its six states were selected among the eight states where the special project is being implemented.

Goje, at the press briefing, said: “The emergency meeting held today by all the federal lawmakers from the North East geo-political Zone comprising Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba and Yobe States was convened sequel to the exclusion of our zone from the all-important programme of the Federal Government, the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ), despite the enormous potential of our zone in all spheres of agriculture and livestock of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“In view of the seriousness of this matter, the members of our caucus, even though the parliament is on recess, cut short their holidays to attend this meeting and express our reservations about our region’s exclusion from the programme.

“For a start, $530 million is to be provided by the Federal Government, the African Development Bank (AfDB), the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) for the SAPZ programme.

On Tuesday, April 8, 2025, His Excellency, the Vice President, Kashim Shettima, GCON, in Kaduna State, flagged off the construction of Phase 1 of the SAPZ as part of the present administration’s plan to industrialise Nigeria’s agricultural sector and create sustainable jobs.

Seven states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have been selected for the programme. The North West and South West have two processing zones each – Kaduna, Kano, Ogun, and Oyo states. The South South, South East and North Central have one processing zone each.

“Despite its enormous agricultural potential, the North East is conspicuously missing from the list of states allocated the processing zones.

“SAPZs aim to transform Nigeria’s agriculture landscape through innovation, private-sector investments, and strategic public partnerships. The zones are designed to create agro-industrial hubs that integrate farmers with processors, reduce post-harvest losses and expand rural economic opportunities.

“Geographically, the North East is the largest geopolitical zone in the nation, covering nearly one-third of Nigeria’s total area of 272,451 km2 (105,194sq mi). Our potential in all aspects of the agricultural sector cannot be overemphasised.

“At the end of the meeting, we resolved the following: (i) Lament the exclusion of the North East Geopolitical Zone from the processing zones despite its enormous agricultural potential cutting across all sector value chains.

(ii) Appeal for the immediate inclusion of the North East Geo-political Zone in the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ). This is not only for fairness and inclusivity but for the actualisation of the lofty ideals of the present administration to industrialise Nigeria’s agricultural sector and create sustainable jobs in the country.

(iii) Commend the President and Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for making this programme a reality.

Source: Blueprint