Vice President Kashim Shettima has led a delegation of state governors and senior government officials on a study tour of the Glo-Djigbé Industrial Zone (GDIZ) in the Republic of Benin, as Nigeria seeks practical lessons to accelerate industrialization, agro-processing and job creation.
The delegation visited the 1,640-hectare industrial park located near Cotonou, where they examined the zone’s operations, investment framework and value-addition model. Developed through a public-private partnership, the industrial hub processes agricultural commodities such as cotton, cashew nuts and soybeans into finished products for regional and international markets.
Since commencing operations in 2021, the industrial zone has reportedly generated more than 14,000 direct jobs, while attracting investments in manufacturing and export-oriented industries.
Speaking during the visit, Vice President Shettima described the exercise as a peer review mission, stressing that Nigeria must remain open to learning from successful development models across Africa regardless of the size of the country involved.
He said the visit aligns with the Federal Government’s drive to strengthen industrial production through the establishment of Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZs) aimed at boosting agricultural value chains, increasing exports and creating employment opportunities.
According to the Vice President, studying successful regional initiatives offers valuable insights into policies that can stimulate investment, improve productivity and encourage local processing of raw materials instead of exporting them in their unprocessed form.
The delegation included governors from Kwara, Imo, Jigawa, Plateau, Katsina and Zamfara states, all of whom expressed interest in adapting aspects of Benin’s industrial model to support economic development within their respective states.
The governors pledged to promote similar industrial clusters focused on agro-processing, manufacturing and value addition, with the goal of creating jobs, increasing internally generated revenue and strengthening local economies.
The visit has generated mixed reactions among Nigerians. Some critics argued that it was disappointing for Africa’s largest economy to seek lessons from a smaller neighboring country, describing the development as a reflection of missed economic opportunities over the years.
Others, however, defended the initiative, noting that successful policymaking often involves learning from best practices regardless of a country’s size or economic ranking. They argued that development is driven by effective ideas, sound institutions and consistent implementation rather than geographical or population advantages.
Economic analysts observed that Benin’s industrial strategy has focused on adding value to agricultural products before export, a model many experts believe Nigeria could leverage to reduce dependence on crude commodity exports and expand its manufacturing base.
They also noted that Nigeria possesses abundant agricultural resources capable of supporting large-scale agro-industrial development if supported by improved infrastructure, stable policies, access to finance and reliable energy supply.
Observers believe the study tour reflects a growing recognition that regional cooperation and knowledge-sharing can play an important role in accelerating Africa’s industrial transformation.
If successfully replicated, they say, Nigeria’s Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones could help revive key sectors such as textiles, food processing and agribusiness, generate thousands of jobs and enhance the country’s competitiveness in regional and global markets.
The Federal Government has reiterated that strengthening domestic manufacturing and promoting value addition remain central to its economic diversification agenda, with lessons from successful African industrial hubs expected to inform future policy implementation.
