N/East senators, reps protest region’s exclusion from SAPZ

Senators and House of Representatives members from the North-East on Thursday expressed their displeasure over the exclusion of the region from the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ), and asked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to act on the issue. Addressing a press conference at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja, Chairman of the Caucus, Senator Danjuma […]

Senators and House of Representatives members from the North-East on Thursday expressed their displeasure over the exclusion of the region from the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ), and asked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to act on the issue.

Addressing a press conference at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja, Chairman of the Caucus, Senator Danjuma Goje, who was flanked by other federal lawmakers from the North-East expressed dismay that despite the enormous potential of the zone in all spheres of agriculture and livestock, it has been excluded from the programme.

Daily Trust reports that on April 8, 2025, Vice President Kashim Shettima, in Kaduna State, flagged off the construction of Phase 1 of the SAPZ as part of government’s plan to industrialise the country’s agricultural sector and create sustainable jobs.

The zones are designed to create agro-industrial hubs that integrate farmers with processors, reduce post-harvest losses and expand rural economic opportunities.

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Senate Goje said, “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.”

Goje further said, “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.

“We 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.”