By Agbafo Ijeoma
The Oyo State Government has explained its decision to abandon a proposed maize export arrangement with the Government of Botswana, saying the move followed data analysis which showed that large-scale maize exports would not be economically viable and could expose local farmers to losses.
The clarification was contained in a statement issued in Ibadan by the governor’s Special Adviser on Media, Dr Sulaimon Olanrewaju. According to the statement, the administration of Gov. Seyi Makinde had during its first term explored the bilateral arrangement with Botswana as a means of securing an off-take market and generating foreign exchange earnings for farmers in the state.
The government said comprehensive studies conducted by the Oyo State Agribusiness Development Agency (OYSADA) later showed that the economics of exporting maize on a large scale did not justify proceeding with the arrangement. It stressed that the decision was therefore a strategic shift rather than a withdrawal from international agricultural engagement, with the state instead focusing on potentially more profitable value chains such as cassava.
The statement also highlighted some of the administration’s agricultural and infrastructure initiatives, including the ongoing Ijaye Agribusiness Industrial Hub, the establishment of OYSADA and the Fasola Agribusiness Industrial Park.
The government said the park had been recognised by the African Development Bank as Nigeria’s first Agricultural Transformation Centre, while rural security, road projects and the Light Up Oyo initiative were being used to support agricultural activities and reduce post-harvest losses.
The government added that Oyo’s early domestication of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) protocol had positioned the state to pursue broader continental trade opportunities beyond a single bilateral arrangement. It maintained that its approach to agriculture was focused on using data to guide decisions, improve competitiveness and build a sustainable agricultural economy that would provide long-term value for farmers and the state.
