Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — Vice President Kashim Shettima has endorsed a new partnership involving the African Development Bank, AfDB, the Rural Electrification Agency, REA, and the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones, SAPZ, programme, describing it as a strategic intervention capable of transforming agricultural productivity and rural livelihoods through affordable electricity supply.
The Vice President gave the assurance in Abuja during the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, between REA and the SAPZ programme for the deployment of affordable energy solutions across agro-processing centres nationwide.
Represented by the Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, Senator Ibrahim Hadejia, Shettima commended the REA management for what he described as its commitment and resourcefulness in delivering rural electrification projects across the country.
He said the SAPZ initiative, when fully operationalised, could become a major catalyst for agricultural industrialisation, food security and economic development in rural communities.
“The SAPZ programme, if fully operationalized, has the potential of transforming agricultural productivity across the country and improving the wellbeing of rural communities,” the Vice President said.
The agreement provides for joint assessments, technical assistance and energy deployment across SAPZ sites under REA’s Desert To Power, DTP, programme, with mini-grid infrastructure expected to support agro-processing clusters and surrounding communities.
Shettima said the Federal Government would continue encouraging strategic partnerships capable of unlocking Nigeria’s economic potential, particularly in agriculture and power.
“The Federal Government welcomes this partnership and will encourage more collaborations that will help unlock the country’s potentials across all sectors, particularly in the agricultural sector,” he added.
Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, described the collaboration among the AfDB, the Federal Ministry of Power and REA as a significant step towards addressing longstanding infrastructure constraints affecting farmers and agro-processors.
Kyari expressed confidence that the SAPZ programme would help tackle critical challenges confronting agricultural production and value addition across the country.
“This is the beginning of greater achievements in the agricultural sector given the enormous potentials for growth,” the minister said.
He noted that the initiative goes beyond infrastructure provision and is designed to improve the livelihoods of farmers and rural residents in line with the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Power, Alhaji Mahmuda Mamman, reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to supporting the partnership and ensuring the successful implementation of the government’s power sector objectives.
Presenting REA’s project portfolio, the agency’s Managing Director, Engr. Abba Aliyu, said REA had established a strong record of executing transformative rural electrification projects, with 424 mini-grid projects completed and 693 others currently under implementation nationwide.
Aliyu disclosed that the proposed SAPZ partnership is expected to provide electricity access to 25,000 households, support 13 health facilities and directly impact more than 103,000 people in each designated processing zone.
“The targeted impact of this partnership is significant, and it demonstrates how energy access can stimulate production, healthcare delivery and economic activity in rural communities,” he said.
National Programme Coordinator of SAPZ, Dr. Kabir Yusuf, identified inadequate energy supply as one of the biggest obstacles to the successful implementation of agro-processing zones across the country.
He said the deployment of mini-grids through the REA-led initiative would improve the economies of the production centres while providing more reliable electricity to neighbouring communities.
“This partnership will address one of the most critical challenges confronting the successful implementation of the SAPZ programme across the country,” Yusuf said.
The ceremony concluded with the formal signing of the MoU by representatives of REA and the SAPZ programme, marking the official commencement of efforts to electrify agro-processing zones under the Nigeria Desert To Power initiative.
The SAPZ programme is being supported by the African Development Bank as part of broader efforts to stimulate agro-industrial development, reduce post-harvest losses, create jobs and strengthen Nigeria’s agricultural value chains through improved infrastructure and energy access.
