Oyo State has taken another significant step towards becoming Nigeria’s leading Agribusiness investment destination as the Executive Adviser to Governor Seyi Makinde on Agribusiness and International Cooperation Development and Director-General of the Oyo State Agribusiness Development Agency (OYSADA), Dr. Debo Akande has facilitated a strategic partnership between the Oyo State Government, the Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), and the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA).

The high-level engagement, hosted by Governor Seyi Makinde alongside Dr. Debo Akande, culminated in an agreement to transform Oyo State’s cassava and cocoa value chains through research-driven innovation, value addition, investment promotion, and market expansion.

The partnership underscores Dr. Debo Akande’s unwavering commitment to positioning Oyo State as a globally competitive Agribusiness hub capable of attracting international investments that translate into prosperity, wealth creation, food security, industrial growth, and sustainable economic development.

As the chief architect of OYSADA’s investment drive, Dr. Akande continues to champion policies that bridge government with global development institutions, ensuring that Oyo farmers, processors, Agribusiness entrepreneurs, and investors benefit from world-class technology, improved seedlings, processing infrastructure, and stronger market linkages.

Speaking after the meeting, officials of CGIAR and IITA acknowledged Oyo State’s strategic advantage as one of Nigeria’s leading cassava-producing states with enormous cocoa potential, expressing confidence that the collaboration would unlock new economic opportunities across both value chains.

The initiative is expected to enhance productivity, strengthen processing capacity, create thousands of jobs, attract private sector investments, improve farmers’ incomes, and build resilient Agricultural value chains capable of driving long-term economic prosperity.

Dr. Debo Akande’s leadership continues to reflect Governor Seyi Makinde’s vision of using Agriculture as a catalyst for industrialization and inclusive development. Through strategic international cooperation, OYSADA is laying a solid foundation for a prosperous future where Agribusiness serves as a major source of wealth creation for present and future generations of Oyo State.