The President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Dr Akinwumi Adesina, has emphasised that political will and policy consistency are crucial to the success and sustainability of the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone (SAPZ) programme and Africa’s broader agricultural transformation agenda.

Speaking at the launch of the SAPZ in Kaduna State, northern Nigeria, Dr Adesina disclosed that the Bank has committed over $934 million to SAPZ projects across Africa, with an additional $938 million mobilised from development partners.

“Projects like these cannot thrive in the face of policy uncertainty,” Adesina warned. “The continuity and success of these initiatives depend on governments maintaining a stable policy environment that supports farmers, investors, and stakeholders across the value chain.”

Adesina noted that Africa’s agro-industrial transformation, which took more than a decade to gain full traction, was designed to tackle longstanding challenges such as food insecurity, economic inequality, and low productivity. He explained that SAPZs aim to integrate smallholder farmers into competitive value chains, modernise agricultural systems, and generate large-scale employment opportunities.

However, he cautioned that the success of these goals extends beyond financial investment and innovation. “The most innovative solutions mean little without the backbone of consistent policies,” he said, referencing previous agricultural projects that collapsed due to abrupt policy reversals and unstable governance.

He urged African governments to take a long-term perspective on development planning and prioritise policy frameworks that protect investments and ensure continuity.

Also speaking at the event, Nigeria’s Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to the SAPZ initiative, describing it as a cornerstone of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s industrialisation agenda for the agriculture sector.

“This initiative will catalyse economic growth by creating thousands of jobs and empowering Nigerian youths,” Shettima said. “We are not just breaking ground. We are building the infrastructure to feed our people, empower our youth, and fulfil the economic promise of our nation.”

The Vice President described SAPZ as a “presidential priority project” aimed at overcoming the systemic barriers that have hindered the country’s agricultural value chain, including inadequate infrastructure, limited access to markets, and insufficient value addition.

According to Shettima, Nigeria must move away from outdated systems and align with global innovations that support food security, sustainable development, and inclusive economic growth. “This is not just about bricks and mortar. It is about people—the resilience of our farmers, the ingenuity of our entrepreneurs, and the commitment of our government to build a future that works for everyone,” he stated.

The Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones initiative, championed by the AfDB and supported by various development partners, is expected to significantly transform Africa’s agricultural landscape by fostering rural industrialisation and encouraging private sector participation in agribusiness.