By: Goodluck E. Adubazi, Abuja.

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the South West Development Commission (SWDC), Dr. Charles Diji Akinola, has reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to driving agricultural industrialization and economic growth across Nigeria’s South West region.

Speaking to journalists on the sidelines of the G20 Africa Outreach Meeting on Industrialization and Agriculture, held on November 3, 2025, at the Transcorp Hilton, Abuja, Dr. Akinola underscored the synergy between agriculture and industry as a key pillar for sustainable development.

“Agriculture and industrialization are twin engines of economic transformation,” Akinola stated.

The G20 South Africa 2025 Presidency, themed “Solidarity, Equality, and Sustainability,” drew leading policymakers and diplomats, including Nigeria’s Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, H.E. Abubakar Kyari, who shared national strategies linking agricultural productivity with agro-processing value chains.

Also in attendance were Senator John Owan Enoh, Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, who emphasized aligning Nigeria’s agro-industrial policy with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA); Mr. Ben Joubert, Acting Director for Regional Organizations at South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation; Ambassador Bukar Hamman, Nigeria’s G20 Sherpa; and H.E. Salaheddine Abbas Ibrahima, High Commissioner of Cameroon to Nigeria and Dean of the Africa Group in Abuja.

In his remarks, Dr. Akinola disclosed that the SWDC is leveraging the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) initiative to catalyze regional development.

“We already have a flagship SAPZ in Oyo State, which is operational and recording early success. Another is underway in Ogun State, and our goal is to replicate this model across other states that are yet to establish one,” he said.

He explained that the SAPZ projects, funded by the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), serve as learning hubs to connect farmers with processing industries and enhance value addition across agricultural value chains.

“Our approach is collaborative,” Akinola added. “We are working closely with state governments to build competitiveness and create an integrated economic hub across the South West. The Commission is not duplicating state efforts but complementing them under a unified development strategy.”

The SWDC, he noted, envisions a region where agriculture drives industrial output, generates employment, and strengthens food security — aligning with Nigeria’s broader commitment to sustainable and inclusive economic growth.