Oyo Govt Launches Export-Ready Agric Products, Inaugurates New ANCE Board to Drive Cooperative Reforms

In a significant double-strike to strengthen agricultural transformation and cooperative governance, the Oyo State Government has launched export-ready value-added food products and inaugurated a new Board of Directors for the Association of Nigeria Cooperative Exporters (ANCE) Limited. The twin events signal a renewed drive by the Governor Seyi Makinde-led administration to boost agro-industrialization and expand the State’s footprint in regional and continental trade.

Honourable Commissioner for Investment, Trade, Cooperatives and Industry, Hon. Adeniyi Adebisi, led the launch held at the Ministry’s conference room in Ibadan, where the Agricultural Exporting Farmers Multipurpose Cooperative Society unveiled processed yam, cassava, and plantain flour packaged for both local consumption and export. He commended the cooperative’s grassroots efforts, announcing that  a new Directorate of Quality Control is in pipeline to ensure standardization for export readiness and the appointment of a consultant to support exporters under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mr. Olajide Mamud Okesade, praised the cooperative for aligning with the State’s diversification agenda, describing the launch as a statement of intent for Oyo State’s leadership in food processing and agro-export. Representatives from key agencies including 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 also commended the cooperative’s structure and compliance, pledging support through funding, technical guidance, and trade facilitation programs.

Representing the Honourable Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Barrister Olasunkanmi Olaleye, Mrs. Adeniran-Adediran F.O. encouraged the cooperative to maintain formal engagement with the ministry to fully benefit from ongoing reforms and integration into agricultural programs.

Mrs. Bolanle Emmanuel, Oyo State Trade Advisor for NEPC, applauded the cooperative for completing all necessary regulatory steps, confirming its readiness to participate in the African Continental Free Trade Area’s (AfCFTA) Guided Trade Initiative. She emphasized the opportunity for duty- and quota-free trade across Africa under the scheme.

Mr. Senbadejo Olawale, who represented SMEDAN State Manager Mrs. Iyabo Ojogbede, highlighted the cooperative’s qualification for Federal initiatives like the One Local Government One Product (OLOP) and Agro-Processing Development Programme (ADEP), which include access to a financial support scheme with a 30% grant and 70% loan to scale localized production.

Mr. Ajakaiye Idowu from the Bank of Agriculture, Agodi Branch, expressed admiration for the cooperative’s organization and ambition, pledging the bank’s continued partnership in providing growth-enabling tools for export competitiveness.

In a similar development, the state government inaugurated a new board for ANCE Limited at its headquarters in Jericho, Ibadan. Commissioner Adebisi, who led the inauguration, emphasized the importance of reforming cooperative structures to meet present-day realities and investor expectations. He urged the new board to pursue transparency, unity, and result-oriented governance to unlock opportunities in the global export space.

Permanent Secretary Mr. Okesade, representing the State Government, presented tokens of appreciation to the outgoing board for their selfless service, stressing the importance of respectful transitions and institutional memory. He assured the new board of continued Government support in achieving their performance milestones.

Newly elected ANCE President, Chief Kola Olomoyoyo, unveiled a strategic plan to modernize operations, expand value chains, and attract local and foreign investment. He pledged to build on the achievements of his predecessor, Mr. Samson Olagbemi, under whom the cooperative stabilized its cocoa and palm kernel export base and diversified into livestock feed and bottled water production.

With both the launch of value-added agro-products and the inauguration of a revitalized cooperative board, Oyo State is positioning itself as a leader in Nigeria’s agricultural export ecosystem. These initiatives underscore the government’s unwavering commitment to economic growth, food security, and regional trade integration through structured cooperative reforms.