Kogi State Partners with Chinese Firms to Execute Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone (SAPZ)

Kogi State signs a major deal with China's Hezheng Group to launch a Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone, boosting food production and job creation.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 27, 2026, 8:14 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Champion News.

From Planning to Active Execution

The Kogi State government has transitioned its ambitious agricultural roadmap from conceptual design to active implementation following a strategic engagement in China. Representing Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo, a senior delegation signed a cooperation agreement with Hezheng Holdings Group and Hezheng Digital Technology. This partnership is specifically designed to fast-track the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone (SAPZ) program, a flagship initiative intended to revolutionize the state’s economic landscape through large-scale industrialization of the agricultural sector.

The Ajaokuta Agro-Industrial Hub

Central to the state’s industrial strategy is the Ajaokuta Agro-Industrial Hub, which serves as the primary anchor for the SAPZ program. This hub is supported by a network of Agricultural Transformation Centres located in Anyigba, Alape, and Osara, alongside the specialized Zariagi Agro-Air Hub. According to Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Femi Fanwo, the structure is designed to integrate existing local farmer clusters with an additional 150,000 hectares of farmland per zone, creating a massive ecosystem for tenant-driven, large-scale production.

Strategic Value Chains and Infrastructure

The cooperation agreement focuses on several priority value chains essential to food security and export growth, including rice, maize, cassava, livestock, poultry, sesame, cashew, and oil palm. To support these industries, the Chinese partnership will facilitate: