(SINL NIGERIA) The National Assembly Caucus of the North East Geo-political Zone has expressed displeasure over the exclusion of the North East in the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) of the Federal Government.
The North East caucus comprise of all Senators and Members of the House of Representatives from the six states of: Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba, and Yobe.
Though the caucus applauded President Bola Ahmed Tinubu
for making the programme a reality, however bemoaned the exclusion of the zone which they said is the largest geopolitical zone in the nation, covering nearly one-third of Nigeria’s total area of 272,451 km2 (105,194sq mi).
Rising from an emergency meeting on Thursday in Abuja, the lawmakers said the potential of the zone in all aspects of the agricultural sector cannot be overemphasised.
A communique at the end of the meeting signed by Senator Danjuma Goje, Chairman of the North East Caucus of the National Assembly lamented the exclusion of the North East Geopolitical Zone from the processing zones despite its enormous agricultural potential cutting across all sector value chains.
Specifically, Goje appealed for the immediate inclusion of the North East Geo-political Zone in the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ). “This is not only for fairness and inclusivity but for the actualisation of the lofty ideals of the present administration to industrialise Nigeria’s agricultural sector and create sustainable jobs in the country”.
According to the chairman, “the emergency meeting was convened sequel to the exclusion of our zone from the all-important programme of the Federal Government, the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ), despite the enormous potential of our zone in all spheres of agriculture and livestock of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“In view of the seriousness of this matter, the members of our caucus, even though the parliament is on recess, cut short their holidays to attend this meeting and express our reservations about our region’s exclusion from the programme”.
He recalled that on Tuesday, April 8, 2025, the Vice President, Kashim Shettima, in Kaduna State, flagged off the construction of Phase 1 of the SAPZ as part of the present administration’s plan to industrialise Nigeria’s agricultural sector and create sustainable jobs.
“Seven states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have been selected for the programme. The North West and South West have two processing zones each – Kaduna, Kano, Ogun, and Oyo states. The South South, South East and North Central have one processing zone each.
“Despite its enormous agricultural potential, the North East is conspicuously missing from the list of states allocated the processing zones”.
He explained that SAPZs aim to transform Nigeria’s agriculture landscape through innovation, private-sector investments, and strategic public partnerships.
“The zones are designed to create agro-industrial hubs that integrate farmers with processors, reduce post-harvest losses and expand rural economic opportunities” he added
