Connect with us
Anglostratits

Business

Nigeria Expands Agro-Industrial Footprint with New Processing Hub in Oyo State

Published

on

Nigeria

The Oyo site is the third to be developed under the national SAPZ program, and the first in southwest Nigeria

IBADAN, Nigeria, August 3, 2025/APO Group/ —

  • Oyo SAPZ will host up to 40 agro-processing industries, create over 100,000 direct and indirect jobs, and benefit half a million farmers.
  • A great honour to do this on my last official visit to Nigeria as President of the African Development Bank Group (www.AfDB.org) – Adesina

Nigeria has launched a new Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone (SAPZ) in Oyo State, marking a major milestone in the country’s efforts to boost agricultural transformation, job creation and rural industrialization.

The groundbreaking ceremony, held in the Ijaiye community near Ibadan on Saturday, was attended by national and international dignitaries, including the President of the African Development Bank Group, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina who was making his final official visit to Nigeria in that role. Also in attendance were the Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, and Nigeria’s Minister of Agriculture, Senator Abubakar Kyari.

The Oyo site is the third to be developed under the national SAPZ program, and the first in southwest Nigeria. It follows earlier launches in Kaduna and Cross River States in April 2025.

According to Dr. Adesina, “I believe that Nigeria can and must be a global powerhouse in agriculture. But you need investments to be able to do that. You also need industrial platforms that will connect primary agricultural production all the way to how you store products, how you process and add value, and how you ship to be able to sell. And that is what the special agro-industrial processing zones are really about.”

The program is financed by the African Development Bank, in partnership with the Islamic Development Bank, the International Fund for Agricultural Development, and Nigeria’s federal and state governments. Together, they have committed $538 million to the first phase of the program, covering seven states and the Federal Capital Territory.

Covering 3,000 hectares, with 300 hectares designated for immediate development, the Oyo SAPZ is expected to host up to 40 agro-processing industries, create over 100,000 direct and indirect jobs, and benefit half a million farmers.

Oyo State Governor Makinde hailed the launch as a fulfilment of promises made: “Today is about promises kept. It is a strategic step on the journey of sustainable development. These hubs bring producers closer to processors and link farms to markets. They reflect our government’s belief that agriculture is not just about food, it is about infrastructure, enterprise and national relevance. We’re building a future where agriculture feeds not just homes, but industries; where it doesn’t just sustain families but entire economies.”

It’s a move that will strengthen agribusiness value chains and enhance overall competitiveness

Representing Vice President Kashim Shettima, Nigeria’s Minister of Agriculture, Senator Abubakar Kyari highlighted the SAPZ initiative’s alignment with national priorities: “Today’s event exemplifies the spirit of partnership and shared vision that is vital to our nation’s progress. The SAPZ initiative is one of the cornerstones of the renewed hope agenda championed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a vision rooted in restoring Nigeria’s dignity, unlocking our vast potentials and creating opportunities for every citizen.”

Dr. Adesina underscored the transformative vision behind SAPZs, calling them essential to unlocking agricultural value chains and lifting millions out of poverty.

“The export of primary commodities is the door to poverty. The export of value-added commodities and products is a highway to wealth. It doesn’t really matter what you have in terms of agricultural commodities, whether it is cocoa or coffee, or grains; if you’re not adding value to it, it’s actually going to make you poor. So, what we’re doing here is to be able to unlock that value,” Adesina stressed. “Our goal is very clear. It’s to reduce massive post-harvest losses, develop logistics, and improve linkages between farm production, agro-processing, and value addition, transform rural economies, and, of course, to create jobs.”

He outlined three critical pillars for the success of the SAPZs: political will, resource mobilization, and strategic partnerships. “What we are witnessing today would not have happened without intense collaboration,” he noted.

Reflecting on his 10-year tenure as President of the African Development Bank, Adesina highlighted milestones achieved under his leadership, including the Bank’s capital increase from $93 billion in 2015 to $318 billion in 2024, and the two-time ranking of its sovereign portfolio as the most transparent among multilateral development banks globally

The SAPZ initiative is a flagship of the Bank’s ‘Feed Africa’ strategy, launched by Adesina in 2015. The zones are being developed in 28 sites across 11 African countries, with the Nigerian program being the largest.

The chairperson of the Ijaiye Farm Settlers Association, David Olatunji, described Saturday’s groundbreaking ceremony as “a memorable opportunity” for the community and the state. “We have a lot of unbroken forests around us, and the farmers are ready to work!” he declared.

Dr. Adebowale Adeyeye, an agripreneur specializing in soyabean and cashew production and processing, said: “The SAPZ project in Ijaiye is a strategic boost for businesses like ours. With targeted government support in areas like power, road access, and security, it creates the kind of enabling environment we need to scale operations, reduce costs, and attract long-term investment. It’s a move that will strengthen agribusiness value chains and enhance overall competitiveness.”

The SAPZ Programme is working to transform Nigeria’s rural economy into zones of prosperity, by facilitating industrial processing, expanding market access, and attracting private sector investment. The Zones are being developed in 28 sites across 11 African countries, with the Nigeria program being the largest.

Dr. Kabir Yusuf, National Coordinator of SAPZ Nigeria, announced plans to expand the program to an additional 10 states from September 2025, marking the beginning of the second phase that will cover the remaining States in the country.

Adesina was accompanied by senior Bank officials, including the Director General for Nigeria, Dr. Abdul Kamara; Senior Special Adviser on Industrialization, Prof. Oyebanji Oyelaran-Oyeyinka; and Director of Agricultural Finance and Rural Development Department, Richard Ofori-Mante.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).

Home  Facebook

Business

Namibia’s Orange Basin Moves Toward First Oil at African Energy Week (AEW) 2026

Published

on

African Energy Chamber

The “Invest in Namibia: Transforming Discoveries into Production” session will examine how Namibia can turn its offshore oil boom into a broader industrial opportunity through local suppliers, skills development, technology transfer and domestic investment

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, August 27, 2026/APO Group/ –After a series of major offshore discoveries transformed Namibia into one of the world’s most closely watched exploration frontiers, attention is shifting from proving resources to building the infrastructure, partnerships and industrial capabilities needed to bring them into production. At African Energy Week (AEW) 2026, the session “Invest in Namibia: Transforming Discoveries into Production. Orange Basin’s Path to First Oil” will examine how the country can capture value beyond the development of individual oil fields and use the emerging petroleum sector as a catalyst for wider economic growth.





 

TotalEnergies’ Venus discovery is technically ready to move toward a Final Investment Decision, with negotiations on fiscal terms still underway. The project’s development concept targets around 150,000 barrels per day at peak production, with first oil potentially around 2030. FEED has been completed and major contractors selected, bringing Namibia’s first potential deepwater oil development closer to execution.

The real measure of Namibia’s oil opportunity will not simply be how many barrels it produces, but how much economic value those barrels create at home

Meanwhile, the Orange Basin continues to attract major international players. TotalEnergies and Galp strengthened their positions across the Venus and Mopane discoveries in 2025, with TotalEnergies becoming operator of Mopane and Galp taking a participating interest in Venus. In August 2026, Equinor agreed to acquire a 17.4% stake in Chevron’s PEL 90, marking its first upstream entry into a new country since 2017. The block is expected to see another exploration well before the end of the year.

The scale of investment now being contemplated makes the question of local economic participation increasingly urgent. Namibia’s draft Local Content Policy identifies the development of national capabilities, employment, local procurement and stronger domestic value chains as central to ensuring that petroleum resources generate benefits beyond government revenues. The government has also highlighted technical training and partnerships with universities and industry as priorities for preparing Namibians for the emerging oil and gas sector.

For Namibia, this means moving beyond an export-led model in which capital, equipment and specialist expertise flow in and crude flows out. Developing local suppliers, financing Namibian businesses, building research and training hubs and creating opportunities for joint ventures could help establish capabilities that extend well beyond the life of individual oil projects. The opportunity spans engineering and fabrication, logistics, marine services, environmental management, digital technologies and other areas of the petroleum supply chain.

“The real measure of Namibia’s oil opportunity will not simply be how many barrels it produces, but how much economic value those barrels create at home,” said NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber. “Namibia has a chance to build a competitive African energy industry around its discoveries – one that creates jobs, develops local companies, transfers technology and gives Namibians a meaningful stake in the country’s energy future.”

The session will look beyond first oil itself to the ecosystem required to sustain production and translate upstream investment into long-term industrial development. With Venus, Mopane and further Orange Basin exploration moving toward development, Namibia has an opportunity to establish the commercial partnerships, financing structures and technical capabilities needed to ensure its petroleum boom becomes an economy-wide growth story.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.




Continue Reading

Business

BUTEC, secures major Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contract for Casablanca Waste-to-Energy Project

Published

on

BUTEC

Serving a population of more than 4.2 million people across Greater Casablanca, this project represents a significant step in the region’s transition towards a more sustainable and circular approach to waste management

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, August 28, 2026/APO Group/ –The consortium comprising Nareva, Kanadevia Inova and Itochu Corporation, through its 33.5-year concession agreement with the Municipality of Casablanca, has entrusted BUTEC (www.BUTEC.com) with a major Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contract for Casablanca’s landmark Waste-to-Energy (WtE) project, leveraging BUTEC’s multidisciplinary engineering and contracting capabilities for one of Morocco’s most significant waste management and energy recovery developments.

 

For the delivery of this landmark project, BUTEC has joined forces with the Switzerland-based Kanadevia Inova, a global leader in Waste-to-Energy and renewable gas solutions.

Located northwest of the Mediouna landfill in the Casablanca-Settat region of the Kingdom of Morocco, this ultra-large waste incineration facility will process approximately 1.5 million tonnes of non-recyclable waste annually, significantly reducing reliance on landfill.

By diverting the waste from landfill and converting it into energy, this plant is expected to prevent up to 1.0 tonne of CO₂-equivalent emissions per tonne of waste while generating 126 MWe of baseload electricity.

BUTEC is establishing itself as the generalist EPC contractor of choice in this strategic sector

Serving a population of more than 4.2 million people across Greater Casablanca, this project represents a significant step in the region’s transition towards a more sustainable and circular approach to waste management, while supporting Morocco’s broader energy transition and long-term decarbonization ambitions.

BUTEC’s Scope of Work:

While Kanadevia Inova is responsible for the technology and the process part of the EPC works, as well as operations support, long-term maintenance, and financing of the facility, BUTEC will be responsible for civil works for the whole facility and for the engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) of Non-Process buildings, facilities, and associated works, including all civil, structural, architectural, mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) works, as well as the external infrastructure works required for the Project.

Commenting on the significance of the award, Raymond Daou (SVP Strategy & Business Development) stated:

“Building on our affiliates’ long-standing presence in Morocco, where BUTEC has established itself as one of the country’s leading players in Electromechanical Solutions, the Group is reinforcing, through this landmark contract, its contribution to the Kingdom’s sustainable development ambitions.

Furthermore, with three consecutive large-scale Waste-to-Energy projects across the geographies in which it operates, BUTEC is establishing itself as the generalist EPC contractor of choice in this strategic sector. This latest award confirms once again our ability to combine multidisciplinary engineering expertise, strong local execution capabilities and close cooperation with world-leading process technology partners to deliver complex energy and environmental facilities.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of BUTEC Group.

 

 




 

Continue Reading

Business

Asantehene opens Africa Business Investment Summit in Washington, DC with a $500m Investment Target in Africa

Published

on

Asantehene

The opening ceremony, themed “The Asante Crown Meets the Diaspora,” convened more than 400 registered delegates, including senior government officials, C-suite executives, and US-based institutional investors

 




 

WASHINGTON D.C., United States of America, August 28, 2026/APO Group/ —

  • Asantehene presented a royal vision for Africa’s economic renaissance
  • Day 1 proceeded under the theme – The Vision Day: Unlocking Africa’s Century, A Diaspora Mandate”
  • Fireside chat with Boris Kodjoe on The Diaspora Return

The Africa Business Investment Summit 2026 opened this morning at the MGM National Harbor, in Washington D.C. Metro, with a royal keynote by the Summit’s Patron, His Majesty Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Asantehene, as the Millennium Excellence Week hosts its first event outside of Ghana.

The opening ceremony, themed “The Asante Crown Meets the Diaspora,” convened more than 400 registered delegates, including senior government officials, C-suite executives, and US-based institutional investors. They were drawn together under a single mandate: to facilitate $500 million in structured capital commitments between African deal originators and US institutional capital during the two-day summit.

Delivering his keynote address, His Majesty articulated a vision of African economic sovereignty where the diaspora serves as architects of continental development. Speaking with characteristic authority, His Majesty called on African governments, diaspora communities, and international institutional partners to align capital, policy frameworks, and political will behind a shared agenda for the continent’s economic future.

In his address, His Majesty Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Asantehene said: “For too long, Africa has been described mainly in terms of its deficiencies. We have heard of the roads not built, the electricity not generated, the jobs not created, the capital not available, and the institutions not strong enough,”

For too long, Africa has been described mainly in terms of its deficiencies

Speaking further he noted that “Africa must no longer be regarded merely as a continent of future potential. Africa is already becoming a central part of the future global economy, and those who understand this early will position themselves advantageously.”

Honorable Sampson Ahi, Deputy Minister for Trade, Agribusiness, and Industry, who represented the President of the Republic of Ghana, detailed macroeconomic indicators signalling domestic economic recovery and industrial policy priorities: “ Our ambition is transformation. We want an economy that moves beyond exporting raw materials to manufacturing finished products, creating value, jobs, and shared prosperity. We want capital that drives productivity, entrepreneurship, and innovation. This is the philosophy behind the twenty-four-hour economy program, which is a commitment stimulating round-the-clock production, improving productivity, and developing a competitive and export-oriented economy.”

The first day of the summit concluded under the theme “The Vision Day: Unlocking Africa’s Century, A Diaspora Mandate”, exploring through a series of plenary sessions the most pressing deal themes in US–Africa investment today.

Programme spotlights included: The Diaspora Return, a fireside chat with Boris Kodjoe, Beyond Remittances: Building Africa’s Sixth Region, diaspora capital beyond transfers, The New Gold Rush: Africa’s Seat at America’s Critical Minerals Table,  Ghana’s Gold Moment: From the Gold Coast to Global Market Power, The Diaspora Dollar: Fintech and the Next Remittance Corridor and Powering the Continent: Energy, Infrastructure and the US–Africa Partnership

The second and final day of the event will continue to explore investment opportunities across the continent through sector spotlights on the Creative Economy, Health & Pharma, Technology, and Digital Financial Services.

Following these plenaries, the event will conclude with bilateral investment meetings that will translate the vision outlined in the plenary hall into concrete investment decisions.

Review Day 1 Plenary Sessions: https://apo-opa.co/4cPkRRP

Watch Day 2 Live Stream: https://apo-opa.co/4gYIxFP

  • Day 2 to explore investment opportunities and conclude with bilateral investment meetings

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Millennium Excellence Foundation.

 

 




 

Continue Reading

Trending