N’East lawmakers decry exclusion from FG’s $530m agro-industrial project
North East lawmakers have condemned the Federal Government’s exclusion of their region from the $530 million Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones project (SAPZ), calling it a notable lapse in national development planning.
In a statement delivered by Senator Danjuma Goje following an emergency meeting held in Abuja on Thursday, members of the National Assembly from Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba, and Yobe states condemned the decision, stressing that the region’s vast agricultural potential had been ignored.
The caucus emphasized that the North East, Nigeria’s largest geopolitical zone by landmass, plays a critical role in the country’s agriculture and livestock sectors and should not have been omitted from a project of such national importance.
“The emergency meeting was convened due to our zone’s exclusion from this all-important programme,” Goje said. “This is despite the North East’s enormous agricultural capacity, particularly in livestock and crop production, which significantly contributes to the national economy.”
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The SAPZ program, which aims to transform Nigeria’s agricultural sector through industrialization, public-private partnerships, and rural job creation, was flagged off on Tuesday, April 8, 2025, in Kaduna State by Vice President Kashim Shettima, on behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Under the programme’s first phase, seven states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) were selected: Kaduna, Kano, Ogun, Oyo, Cross River, Imo, and Kwara. The North East received no allocation, prompting strong objections from its representatives.
The lawmakers called for the immediate inclusion of the North East in the SAPZ project, citing the urgent need for equitable distribution of national development initiatives.
“We appeal for the immediate inclusion of the North East geopolitical zone in the SAPZ programme,” the lawmakers stated. “This is essential not just for fairness but also for realizing the administration’s goal of agricultural industrialization and sustainable job creation.”
The caucus also expressed unanimous support for comments made earlier in the week by Senator Ali Ndume, who had raised concerns about perceived lopsided appointments under President Tinubu’s administration. Ndume had urged a review to ensure equity across all regions.
Backing Ndume’s remarks, Minority Whip of the House of Representatives, Hon. Ali Isa, said, “We are totally in support that the government should look at it and be fair not only to the North East, but to every part of the country.”
Responding to queries about Vice President Shettima’s role in the project’s launch, the caucus absolved him of blame, noting that he was representing the Federal Government, not the North East.
While commending President Tinubu for his continued support of the agriculture sector, the lawmakers stressed that equitable participation in such transformative programmes is essential to building national unity and progress.
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