FIC Report (Benue State) – Chinese investors from Anhui Province have expressed interest in partnering with the Benue State Government to develop the state’s agricultural value chain and strengthen agro-industrial production.
The Director of the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission, Abubakar Yerima, disclosed this during a meeting with the Benue State Government held on Wednesday, March 11, 2026, at the Government House in Makurdi.
Yerima, who led the visiting delegation, explained that the investors are from Anhui Province—widely regarded as the food basket of China—and are interested in replicating the province’s transformation from a traditional agricultural region into a technology-driven agricultural powerhouse.
He noted that the investors had earlier visited several Nigerian states including Niger State, Jigawa State, Katsina State, Oyo State and Gombe State, where they are developing Special Agro-Processing Zones
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Yerima commended the Benue State Government for assembling a capable economic management team, describing the state as well positioned to benefit from the proposed investment initiative.
Speaking during the meeting, the Governor of Benue State, Hyacinth Alia, represented by the Deputy Governor, Sam Ode, said the administration had deliberately assembled competent technocrats across key sectors to position the state as a viable destination for investment.
According to him, the government’s vision is to rewrite the economic history of the state and firmly place Benue on the map as a leading investment hub in Nigeria.
He added that agriculture remains a central pillar of the administration’s development agenda, stressing that the government intends to strengthen the entire agricultural value chain—from farm production to finished products for export—in order to boost foreign exchange earnings and improve the living standards of the people.
The Deputy Governor also assured the visiting investors that key members of the state’s economic team, including the Secretary to the State Government and commissioners for finance and information, were present at the meeting to demonstrate the government’s commitment to the proposed collaboration.
Earlier, a member of the delegation from Anhui Province, Professor Wang, explained that the project involves the development of large-scale agro-processing zones where crop production, processing, packaging and marketing would be integrated within a single value chain.
He stated that the investors typically require land for agricultural production along with basic infrastructure such as roads, water supply and electricity, after which they finance the entire production cycle—from cultivation to export.
In his remarks, the Group Managing Director of the Benue Investment and Property Company (BIPC), Raymond Asemakaha, who introduced the visiting delegation, described the engagement as a major step towards attracting global investors to the state.
He noted that the delegation includes experts in agriculture, infrastructure and mining who have already undertaken pilot projects and investments in several Nigerian states.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Peter Oboh Egbodo, said the state government recognizes agriculture as a critical driver of economic growth, job creation and security.
He explained that the administration is committed to mechanizing agricultural production, reducing post-harvest losses and creating opportunities for unemployed youths through value-added agricultural processing.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner for Finance, Michael Oglegba, disclosed that the state government recently held discussions with international development partners including the World Bank and the African Development Bank on establishing agricultural hubs across the state.
He further revealed that the Makurdi Industrial Zone, covering about 276 hectares, would serve as the central hub for secondary processing and manufacturing, while primary production and processing would take place across agricultural zones in different parts of the state.
The Managing Director of the Benue Agricultural Development Company, Donald Akule, also highlighted the state’s comparative advantage in the production of sesame, soybean and tuber crops such as yam, cassava and sweet potato.
He added that Benue also has strong potential in agro-energy production through crops like jatropha, noting that agricultural waste could be harnessed to generate clean and affordable energy for industrial use.
The meeting ended with both sides expressing optimism that the engagement would pave the way for a strategic partnership capable of transforming Benue’s agricultural sector and expanding export-oriented agro-industrial production.
Bridget Tarker
For: Head of Centre
Federal Information Centre, Makurdi.
