By Jide Ajisefini
On Saturday, 2 August 2025, the quiet community of Ijaiye in Akinyele Local Government Area witnessed a transformative milestone in Oyo State’s economic journey. The event marked the groundbreaking of the Oyo State Agribusiness Industrial Hub, anchored by the Ijaiye Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone (SAPZ).
The project reflects a collaborative model, one led by subnational ambition, enabled by international development partners and supported institutionally by the Federal Government. In Oyo State, the SAPZ is not a stand-alone intervention but a strategic component of a broader agribusiness transformation agenda driven by deliberate, state-level planning.
Speaking at the event, the Director General of the Oyo State Agribusiness Development Agency, Dr Debo Akande, described the moment as a continuation of a deliberate journey.
“It’s the next phase of a journey we’ve already begun. Fasola is functional, Eruwa is active, Ijaiye continues the momentum,” he said. He added, “Our approach is intentional; we are building integrated hubs that are investor-friendly, farmer-accessible, and future-ready.”
Dr. Akande also commended the African Development Bank Group for championing the SAPZ model across Africa, and for recognising Oyo State as a credible and ready partner.
Governor Seyi Makinde’s administration has made agribusiness not just a priority, but a cornerstone of Oyo State’s economic transformation. The Ijaiye SAPZ will occupy 300 hectares of the 3,000 hectares site that will also host a Rungis-style international agrifood wholesale market, as well as crop and livestock production. Together, these developments will form a fully integrated Agribusiness Industrial Hub, combining production, processing and distribution in one location.
According to Governor Makinde, “this is not our first move. We began in Fasola, in the Oyo Zone, where twelve agribusinesses are already operational. We continued in Eruwa, in Ibarapa Zone. And now, we are here in Ibadan Zone, ensuring that the benefits of agribusiness development reach every region of our State.”
He explained further: “These hubs are not standalone structures. They are deliberately designed as interconnected anchors of our agribusiness ecosystem. They bring producers closer to processors, and link farms to markets. They reflect our belief that agriculture is not just about food; it is about infrastructure, it is about enterprise, and it is about national relevance.”
A pivotal figure in the SAPZ journey is Dr Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank Group. As Nigeria’s Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development over a decade ago, he introduced the concept of agro-industrial zones, though he was unable to launch it nationally at the time. Today, he is bringing that vision to life across Africa, with Oyo State emerging as one of the model implementers.
In his remarks, Dr Adesina noted that Oyo State is proving how long-term vision, when supported by the right partnerships, can deliver lasting change. He also expressed appreciation to the current Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, the Vice President, and the President of Nigeria for supporting the SAPZ initiative and ensuring the commencement of the first phase across eight states, with plans for an additional 28 states to follow.
The Oyo State Agribusiness Industrial Hub is more than a physical development. It is a systems-based approach to rural transformation, market access, job creation, and economic diversification. By attracting private investors and building on existing infrastructure, the state is charting a path that goes beyond pilot projects.
Governor Makinde closed with a message that captured the spirit of the day: “Let today’s event be a reminder to every citizen of Oyo State—governance is not theory. It is action. And when we say we will deliver, we mean it.”
•Ajisefini sent in this piece from Ibadan.
