Oyo State Government has launched a major initiative aimed at revolutionizing agriculture and transforming business for thousands in the state, with the introduction of the Ijaiye Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone (SAPZ) and a modern, Rungis-styled Food Wholesale Market at the historic Ijaiye Farm Settlement, Akinyele Local Government.
Speaking at a stakeholder engagement ahead of the official sod-turning, Kolawole Badmus—Permanent Secretary of the Oyo State Agribusiness Development Agency (OYSADA)—assured farmers that the twin projects would turn Ijaiye and its environs into a regional powerhouse for agribusiness and value addition. Out of the 7,581-hectare farm settlement, 3,000 hectares have been earmarked for the SAPZ and market, a move designed to improve farmers’ earnings, drive exports, and energize the state’s economy.
Backed by the African Development Bank (AfDB) under the Federal Government’s SAPZ programme, the industrial hub will host companies to process crops such as cassava, cashew, tomato, and livestock, targeting both local markets and export. The adjoining wholesale market draws inspiration from the French Rungis Market, aiming to provide a reliable platform for farmers to directly access buyers, curtail post-harvest losses, and eliminate exploitative middlemen.
Badmus dispelled fears of displacement, emphasizing that engagements with farmers have been ongoing since 2020. The government, he said, will conduct a thorough enumeration process, ensure compensation where necessary, and document all existing farm holdings—especially horticultural and cash crops.
Echoing the state’s commitment, Akinyele Local Government Chairman, Akinwole Akinleye, celebrated the development, promising adequate support and compensation for affected farmers. He projected rapid infrastructural and economic growth for the area and Oyo State at large.
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The Fasola Agriculture Transformation Centre—Oyo’s earlier agribusiness hub model—has reportedly attracted companies with over ₦17 billion in investments, cultivated nearly 1,000 hectares, and processed key crops. The Ijaiye SAPZ and Wholesale Market are expected to replicate and surpass this success, as Oyo pursues food sufficiency, jobs, youth training, and rural transformation.
The SAPZ initiative aligns with both the state and national vision of industrialized agriculture—lifting rural economies into prosperity, creating jobs, and growing Nigeria’s GDP through modern agribusiness. The government invites all stakeholders to the scheduled ground-breaking and pledges continued transparency and inclusiveness as the transformative projects progress.
