🇳🇬 Nigeria Commits Over $500m to Agro-Industrial Zones as VP Shettima Highlights Food Security Push at UN Summit

 

VP Shettima Adressing UN Food Security Summit

At the UN Food Systems Summit in Rome, Nigeria’s Vice President highlighted a billion-dollar agro-industrialisation drive, unveiling bold strategies to combat hunger and rural poverty across the country.

Zig Diaries Politics News
Date: Tuesday, 29 July 2025
Time: 20:30 WAT
Location: 📌Rome, Italy

Nigeria’s Vice President addressed the UN Food Systems Summit 2025 Plenary on transforming food systems in complex settings.

Nigeria has committed over $538 million to the first phase of its Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) programme, a flagship food security and development initiative aimed at revitalising agricultural production, creating jobs, and reducing post-harvest losses. 

Vice President Kashim Shettima made the disclosure while addressing the Plenary Session on Transforming Food Systems in Complex Settings at the ongoing United Nations Food Systems Summit (UNFSS) in Rome, Italy.

According to the Vice President’s remarks shared via his official handle @KashimSM, the SAPZ programme is being implemented in partnership with the African Development Bank, International Fund for Agricultural Development, Islamic Development Bank, and other global development partners.

“Shettima said the initiative is projected to attract $1 billion in investments by 2027, reduce post-harvest losses by up to 80%, and has already generated over 785,000 jobs across targeted regions of Nigeria.”

In his remarks, Vice President Shettima emphasised that Africa’s youth population remains its greatest untapped asset and must be mobilised to lead the continent’s agricultural transformation. He described SAPZ as an instrument for transforming rural economies, stimulating agro-industrial growth, and improving livelihoods.

He reiterated President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to tackling the root causes of hunger and malnutrition, stating that the Nigerian government has declared a state of emergency on food security. Under this framework, over 500,000 hectares of arable land have been reactivated, strategic food reserves deployed, and farmers given improved access to quality seeds and extension services.

The Vice President’s address was met with broad interest among delegates, particularly in the context of Africa’s pressing food challenges amid conflicts, climate shocks, and global supply chain disruptions.

Zig Diaries will continue to monitor Nigeria’s engagements at the UNFSS and the impact of SAPZ on local communities.

️ Tags: Nigeria, UNFSS2025, Food Security, SAPZ, Kashim Shettima, Agriculture, African Development Bank
#Nigeria #UNFSS2025 #FoodSecurity #AgriIndustrialisation #ZigDiariesPolitical