By Matthew Denis
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the South West Development Commission (SWDC), Dr. Charles Diji Akinola, has emphasized that the region is strategically positioned for collaboration with state governments to significantly boost industrial and mechanized farming activities.
Speaking on the sidelines of the G20 South Africa 2025 Africa Outreach meeting on Industrialization and Agriculture, held in Abuja on Monday, Dr. Akinola noted that the international event centered on the principles of solidarity, equality, and sustainability for African industrial activities.
Dr. Akinola underscored the Commission’s focus, stating, “We have to understand the fact that, Agriculture and industrialization are key pillars of economic growth, and that is how South West Development Commission is situating this.”
The MD also confirmed his strong interest in the Special Agricultural Processing Zones (SAPZ) project highlighting the Oyo State SAPZ as a flagship operation already showing encouraging early success, with a second zone in Ogun State underway.
“We intend to use this as a beacon of successes and see how we can mirror what we are doing in other states that don’t have SAPZ,” Dr. Akinola said, referencing the zones funded by the African Development Bank and Islamic Development Bank.
He described the G20 event as a learning ground for moving “from production to see how we can really create value for farmers who are processing, and industries that are associated with Agriculture.”
On the goal of reaching out to farmers, he stressed that the Commission is working in partnership with state governments to ensure farmers are captured en masse.
“What we are actually doing is working with the state government, and then trying to look at the state coming together as one economy hub,” he explained, noting that this integrated approach is vital to building regional competitiveness.
He concluded that the SWDC is not seeking to duplicate the efforts of individual states but rather to work with them in a very integrated manner.
With over 30 years of experience in public service, international development, and strategic governance, Dr. Akinola specializes in agricultural development, sustainable economic growth, and policy implementation across Nigeria and West Africa, positioning him as a key figure in driving regional growth.