Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), has praised Uba Sani, the Governor of Kaduna State, for an extraordinary escalation in the agricultural budget, rising from N1.4 billion to N74 billion.
During a courtesy visit to the Governor at the Government House in Kaduna on Tuesday, Adesina acknowledged Sani’s dedication to revitalizing the agricultural landscape.
He highlighted that Kaduna is pioneering the establishment of the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone (SAPZ) in Nigeria, stating, “Kaduna’s leadership in this initiative represents not only a vision for food security but also a blueprint for economic growth and inclusive development.”
Adesina emphasized the state’s role as a forerunner, noting, “This marks the first instance of a state launching the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone in Nigeria. Today is a significant milestone for all of us.”
He reaffirmed AfDB’s commitment to assist Kaduna State in enhancing school feeding programs and their integration with the new processing zones. Additionally, he promised further support for improvements in primary healthcare, health insurance, and infrastructure, including water, sanitation, and digital advancement
“We take pride in collaborating with a government that listens, leads with compassion, and is inclusive,” he remarked, referring to Governor Sani as “a model leader, a listener, a unifier, and above all, a doer.”
In response, Governor Sani described Adesina as “a blessing to Nigeria, Africa, and humanity,” commending him for his transformative contributions to agriculture throughout the continent.
He recalled the impact of Adesina’s e-Wallet initiative during his tenure as Minister of Agriculture, which has benefited over 15 million smallholder farmers nationwide, particularly in Northern Nigeria.
Sani stated, “This initiative was designed not only to revolutionize agriculture but could also have mitigated the issue of financial exclusion we currently face, providing essential access to credit for our smallholder farmers. Furthermore, it could have addressed the security challenges in Northern Nigeria.”
He noted that agriculture constitutes approximately 42 percent of Kaduna’s GDP and provides around 60 percent of employment in the state. “We believe that insecurity has significantly impeded the progress we could have made through agriculture,” he explained.
“Recognizing agriculture as a crucial sector for investment, we made the decision to increase our agricultural budget from N1.4 billion, inherited in 2023, to N74 billion in the current budget. This achievement positions us as the first sub-national government to meet the 10 percent target outlined in the 2014 Malabo Declaration, which advocates for a minimum of 10 percent of the budget to be allocated to agriculture.”
The governor highlighted the launch of the Agro-Industrial Processing Zone as a critical initiative for the development of Kaduna State.
