The Lagos State Government is planning to establish between 50 and 100 small food-processing plants around its proposed food systems and logistics hub as part of efforts to increase local processing, improve agricultural value addition and strengthen food security.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu announced the plan at the Executive Business Breakfast organised by the Nigerian-British Chamber of Commerce, where he outlined the state’s strategy for developing an integrated food storage, processing and distribution network.

According to the governor, the proposed processing facilities will be situated around the logistics hub and supplied with agricultural produce sourced from different parts of Nigeria. The initiative is intended to ensure that agricultural commodities undergo further processing within Lagos rather than being limited to storage and distribution.

“The second part of that logistics hub is that it’s also going to feed about 50 to 100 small food processing plants,” Sanwo-Olu said.

He explained that the government had incorporated dedicated spaces for small-scale processing facilities into the hub’s master plan, providing opportunities for businesses to transform agricultural produce into higher-value products.

“We’ve created about 1,000 hectares all around that business, so we’re going to have layouts of small processing mills around it that can often do a lot of value addition,” he said.

The proposed facility is expected to receive agricultural commodities from various parts of the country. Its infrastructure will include cold and dry storage facilities, silos and a large trailer park to support the movement and transportation of food products.

Sanwo-Olu disclosed that construction of the hub was almost complete, describing it as one of the largest food systems and logistics hubs in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The planned processing plants form part of the state’s broader approach to improving food handling, supporting agricultural value addition and strengthening the infrastructure required to move food commodities from production areas to consumers.

SOURCE: MSME Africa Online