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Investors and agribusiness stakeholders have commended the Federal Government of Nigeria for the recent award of road construction contracts across key agricultural corridors in Oyo State.
The road projects, which connect major farm belts in Ogbomoso, Iseyin, and Ilorin Road axis to processing hubs and export routes, are expected to drastically reduce post-harvest losses, cut logistics costs, and ease movement of raw materials to agro-industrial clusters.
“We specifically commend FG’s focus on roads that directly feed the Sigvent Industrial Cluster along Ogbomoso-Ilorin Road,” said Benjamin Onigbinde, CEO Sigvent Industrial Cluster,.
“With Nigeria Associate Best Foods and NEPC already strategizing value-addition for cassava and cashew at Sigvent Cluster these road upgrades will unlock the full supply chain – from farm gate in Oyo State to factory, then to Lagos port and Ilorin International Airport for export.”
Onigbinde, who is also the Convener of Ogbomoso Economic and Investment Summit, noted that reliable road infrastructure is the missing link for Nigeria’s agro-industrialization drive, saying such improved access would boost farmer income by reducing transport losses and middlemen margins; de-risk investment** for SMEs setting up processing plants inside Sigvent Free Trade Zone,and strengthen ease of doing business** under Oyo State’s AIPZ designation for Ogbomoso
He therefore calls on the Federal Ministry of Works and Oyo State Government to ensure timely completion and quality supervision of the projects, and to extend similar interventions to other agricultural corridors nationwide.
“Roads are the real incentive for investors,” Onigbinde added.
“With good roads + Sigvent’s cluster infrastructure + NEPC export support, Oyo State can become Nigeria’s agro-processing capital.”
