The Oyo State Government has launched a range of export-ready, value-added food products, including processed yam, cassava, and plantain flour.
The unveiling, according to The Nation, took place at the Conference Room of the Ministry of Trade, Industry, Investment and Cooperatives, Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan, was spearheaded by the Agricultural Exporting Farmers Multipurpose Cooperative Society.
The event also featured the inauguration of a new Board of Directors for the Association of Nigeria Cooperative Exporters (ANCE) Limited, a development aimed at reinforcing ongoing cooperative reforms in the state.
While speaking at the ceremony, the Commissioner for Trade, Industry, Investment and Cooperatives, Adeniyi Adebisi, revealed plans to establish a Directorate of Quality Control under the Ministry to ensure standardization and enhance the quality of export goods. He was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mr. Mamud Okesade.
“The need to reform cooperative structures to meet present-day realities and investor expectations cannot be overemphasized,” Adebisi stated, urging the newly appointed ANCE board to embrace transparency, unity, and progressive thinking.
The commissioner expressed confidence that the initiatives would unlock significant opportunities for Oyo State’s producers in the global export market.
In his remarks, the newly elected President of ANCE, Chief Kola Olomoyoyo, pledged to build on the legacies of his predecessor, noting that the association had already made strides in stabilizing its cocoa and palm kernel export business.
Read also: Reps kick against bill for rotational presidency
“We have also diversified into livestock feed and bottled water production. Going forward, we will expand our scope, modernize operations, and seek to attract both local and international investors,” Olomoyoyo said.
Representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Nigeria Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), and the Bank of Agriculture were present at the occasion.
They commended the cooperative’s compliance with regulatory guidelines and pledged their support through funding, trade facilitation, and technical guidance.
A strategic roadmap was also unveiled during the event, outlining steps to modernize ANCE operations, expand agricultural value chains, and enhance access to export markets.
