Abuja, Nigeria – The African Development Bank (AfDB) has praised the government of Kogi State for its commitment to agriculture, signaling that the state is on track to become a beneficiary of the bank’s Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) programme.
The commendation was made during a high-level policy dialogue in Abuja, which focused on agribusiness development and access to finance. According to Kogi State’s Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Timothy Ojomah, Kogi and Ogun were the only two states specially invited to the event, an indication of the AfDB’s recognition of the state’s recent agricultural reforms.
The state government has initiated discussions with the AfDB to fast-track its inclusion in the next phase of the SAPZ programme, which is scheduled to begin in 2026. The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, reiterated the federal government’s commitment to inclusive agribusiness and announced a ₦1.5 trillion recapitalisation of the Bank of Agriculture to support youth and women-led agricultural businesses.
A Special Adviser to the AfDB President, Ms. Lola Visser, specifically noted the growing involvement of youth in agriculture in Kogi State and stressed the need for improved access to credit for young entrepreneurs.
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