Ekiti State has been shortlisted to participate in the Agricultural Transformation Agenda Support Programme Phase Two (ATASP-II) following Governor Biodun Oyebanji’s expression of interest in the second phase of the programme.
ATASP-II, a flagship agricultural development initiative under the Renewed Hope Agenda of the current administration, is funded by the African Development Bank and Federal Government of Nigeria and designed to accelerate agricultural transformation by enhancing food and nutrition security, alleviating poverty, generating employment, creating wealth, improving rural access and accessibility, and facilitating financial services and markets for benefiting communities.
The State Commissioner for Information, Rt. Hon. Taiwo Olatunbosun, who made this known in a statement made available to newsmen in Ado-Ekiti, disclosed that the update was conveyed through a letter dated 27th February 2026 and signed by the Honourable Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi.
Rt. Hon. Olatunbosun stated that development aligns with the Oyebanji administration’s drive for agricultural transformation, agribusiness development, and sustained efforts to guarantee food security in the state.
According to him, Governor Biodun Oyebanji is focused on transforming agriculture in Ekiti State into a modern, business-driven sector that boosts food security, creates jobs, and drives economic growth, adding that his approach positions agriculture as a cornerstone of economic development and job creation in the state.
Stressing the State Government’s determination to leverage federal partnerships and international development support to deepen agricultural transformation, Olatunbosun stated that the Oyebanji administration remains unwavering in its efforts to improve livelihoods and ensure sustainable food systems across the State.
The Commissioner lauded the Federal Government’s commitment to supporting Ekiti for demonstrating readiness and dedication to the successful implementation of the programme, expressing optimism about sustained collaboration between the Federal Ministry and Ekiti State as the process advances.
He further recalled that earlier in the year, Ekiti State was also officially selected for Phase Two of the Nigeria Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) programme, a major initiative backed by the African Development Bank and the Federal Government to strengthen agricultural value chains, with a focus on processing key crops such as cocoa, cassava, and palm oil.
“The SAPZ project is expected to create thousands of jobs, stimulate industrial growth, and attract significant private sector investment”, he stated.
He added that the first phase of the programme, ATASP-I, focused primarily on improving agricultural productivity at the smallholder farmer level through irrigation development, rural road construction, improved access to inputs, and the strengthening of farmer cooperatives. While ATASP-I concentrated on boosting food production and farmers’ incomes at the grassroots, complementary initiatives such as the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) are designed to build industrial and processing capacity for value addition—thereby strengthening different stages of the agricultural value chain.
Last modified: March 5, 2026
