‘Unacceptable’: North-East Lawmakers Slam FG Over Agro Project Snub
Federal lawmakers from Nigeria’s north-east have criticised the federal government for excluding the region from the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) initiative.
The North-East Caucus, comprising senators and members of the House of Representatives from Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba, and Yobe states, raised their concerns during a press briefing in Abuja on Thursday following an emergency meeting.
Senator Danjuma Goje, who chairs the caucus and represents Gombe Central, said the exclusion of the north-east was concerning, given the region’s agricultural and livestock resources.
“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,” Goje said.
He noted that on Tuesday, April 8, 2025, Vice President Kashim Shettima launched phase one of the SAPZ in Kaduna State.
Goje said that despite the size and agricultural potential of the north-east, none of the SAPZ sites were located in the region.
“The programme covers seven states and the federal capital territory (FCT), yet none are in the north-east,” he said. “Kaduna, Kano, Ogun, and Oyo have two zones each, while the south-south, south-east, and north-central got one each.”
He said the distribution goes against the government’s pledge of inclusive development and ignores the contributions of the north-east to national food production.
“Our region is known for its enormous livestock and crop growth, contributing significantly to our country’s economic well-being and gross domestic product (GDP),” Goje stated. “It is against this backdrop that we are extremely worried that our zone is excluded from the SAPZ programme, regarded as a ‘presidential priority project’ and a direct response to longstanding challenges facing Nigeria’s agricultural value chain, including poor infrastructure, limited access to markets, and low-value addition.”
He added that the SAPZ is intended to connect farmers to processors, reduce post-harvest losses, and improve rural economies.
“We appeal for the immediate inclusion of the north-east geopolitical zone in the special agro-industrial processing zones (SAPZ),” Goje said. “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.”
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