Benue State is set to attract a $250 million (N330.4 billion) investment in a 30,000-hectare National Food City Complex expected to integrate 40,000 smallholder farmers and create up to 20,000 permanent jobs.
Governor Hyacinth Alia disclosed this on Monday, 7th of September in Makurdi during the signing of the project agreement with Rexzodeneh Group Ltd.
Represented by his deputy, Alia said the initiative would transform Benue from a producer of agricultural commodities into an agro-industrial economy driven by processing, value addition and local wealth creation.
He said the project would integrate agricultural production with processing, storage, logistics, energy and markets, describing it as a major step towards converting the state’s agricultural resources into wealth, jobs and prosperity.
The governor said Benue must move beyond the production of raw commodities and prioritize local processing and value addition to create jobs and retain more wealth within the state.
“We must not remain merely suppliers of raw materials. We must become a centre of production, processing and value creation,” he said.
Alia assured Rexzodeneh Group of the state government’s facilitation and institutional support, while charging the investor to ensure transparency, accountability and fulfilment of its commitments.
He said the success of the project would be measured by the expansion of markets for farmers, increased youth employment, industrial growth and greater value retention within Benue.
Earlier, the Executive Secretary of the Benue State Investment Promotion Agency (BENIPA), Johnpaul Kpenkaa, said the project would position the state as a major agro-industrial hub.
Kpenkaa said BENIPA coordinated 13 relevant ministries, departments and agencies through technical reviews, investor engagements and other institutional processes before the agreement was signed.
The Project Manager of Rexzodeneh Group Ltd., Ramsey Ibrahim, described the initiative as a new agricultural revolution in Benue and Africa, saying it would modernize agricultural production while creating opportunities capable of encouraging young people to remain in rural communities.
“Today, the city is coming back to the village to create the opportunity,” he said.
Ibrahim disclosed that international investors, including South Korean and Turkish technology partners, would participate in the project, particularly in modern agricultural technology and drone-based farming.
He expressed confidence that government and stakeholder support would ensure the project delivers lasting economic benefits to residents of the state.
“A food basket must feed industries. Industries must create jobs. Jobs must create incomes. And incomes must create prosperity,” Alia said.
