Kogi State government has strengthened its international collaboration with Chinese partners as part of efforts to fast-track the implementation of its Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone (SAPZ) programme.
The initiative is aimed at boosting food production, expanding processing capacity, creating jobs, and attracting private sector investment, while positioning the state as a major agro-industrial hub in Nigeria.
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At the centre of the partnership is the proposed development of a modern agricultural science and technology industrial park in Kogi State.
The project, aligned with the SAPZ framework, is expected to promote agro-processing, facilitate technology transfer, support equipment deployment, and enhance logistics and export infrastructure, including cold chain systems and sustainable power solutions.
The SAPZ structure in Kogi includes the Ajaokuta Agro-Industrial Hub, Agricultural Transformation Centres in Anyigba, Alape, and Osara, as well as the Zariagi Agro-Air Hub. The programme is designed to integrate existing farmer clusters and expand cultivation with an additional 150,000 hectares of farmland per zone to support large-scale agricultural production.
Priority value chains identified under the programme include rice, maize, cassava, livestock and poultry, sesame, cashew, oil palm, and greenhouse farming, alongside critical support systems such as warehousing, agricultural technology, and agro-export infrastructure.
As part of the engagement, Kogi State signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Hezheng Holdings Group and Hezheng Digital Technology Company. The agreement signals a shift from conceptual planning to implementation and is expected to attract technical partners, investors, and industrial park operators into the SAPZ ecosystem.
The Kogi delegation was led by the State Auditor General and Project Investment Adviser, Alhaji Yakubu Okala, who represented the Governor. Other members included the Commissioner for Agriculture, Ojomah Timothy; Technical Adviser to the Governor’s Office, Dr. Abdullahi Ozomata; Chief Economic Adviser, Alhaji Aliyu Inda Salami; and the Managing Director of Pulse Engineering and Consulting Limited, David Lekan Obatolu.
During the visit, the delegation toured key facilities of the Chinese firm, gaining insights into industrial park management, enterprise support systems, agricultural technology integration, and global market strategies.
Discussions between both parties focused on key implementation areas such as industrial park development, processing infrastructure, technology transfer, enterprise incubation, and investment mobilisation. Both sides also explored frameworks for establishing a sustainable China–Kogi industrial cooperation platform.
Officials say technical and commercial engagements will continue in the coming months, with plans underway for project mobilisation, groundbreaking, and the establishment of coordination offices in China, Kogi State, and Abuja.
The Kogi State Government says the partnership reflects its commitment to moving the SAPZ programme from planning to execution, while creating an enabling environment for agro-industrial investment and economic growth.