AfDB Expands Alliance to Accelerate Agro-Industrialisation in Africa
The African Development Bank Group has welcomed the OPEC Fund for International Development and the Trade and Development Bank Group (TDB Group) into the Alliance for Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ), strengthening continental efforts to drive agro-industrialisation and agricultural value addition.
The Alliance, launched at the 2023 Africa Investment Forum in Marrakech, brings together development finance institutions, the private sector and technical partners to mobilise financing and expertise for agricultural value-chain development across Africa.
The inclusion of the OPEC Fund and TDB Group builds on a strong partnership base that already includes the African Development Bank Group, the Islamic Development Bank Group, African Export-Import Bank, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, Arise Integrated Industrial Platforms, the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa, the West African Development Bank, and the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development.
Through coordinated financing, shared infrastructure, targeted incentives and structured value-chain linkages, Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones aim to reduce investor risk, enhance competitiveness and attract sustained private investment. The zones are designed to close Africa’s agricultural investment gap while supporting the transition from raw commodity exports to higher-value agro-industrial production.
African Development Bank Group President, Dr Sidi Ould Tah, said the expanded Alliance would accelerate the rollout of SAPZs across the continent.
“The Alliance will intensify efforts to mobilise co-financiers to accelerate SAPZ implementation across Africa,” Dr Tah said. “This directly advances the Bank’s priorities, including strengthening food systems, unlocking capital through blended finance, empowering youth and women, and delivering resilient, integrated infrastructure.”
Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones play a central role in linking rural and urban economies by connecting smallholder farmers to processing facilities, structured markets and consumers. This approach supports inclusive growth, rural industrialisation and job creation.
To date, the African Development Bank has committed approximately US$934 million to develop more than 24 SAPZs in 11 countries, leveraging an additional US$938 million in co-financing from partners.
TDB Group President and Managing Director, Admassu Tadesse, said the bank looks forward to working closely with Alliance members to scale bankable agro-industrial opportunities across Africa.
OPEC Fund President, Abdulhamid Alkhalifa, noted that the Fund’s Food Security Action Plan aligns closely with the Alliance’s objectives, describing the partnership as a strategic opportunity to accelerate sustainable agricultural and agro-industrial development on the continent.
With the Alliance now expanded, the African Development Bank is encouraging governments, anchor investors, small and medium-sized enterprises, farmers’ organisations and technical partners to take advantage of emerging opportunities as the next generation of Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones is rolled out across Africa.
