Ekiti State Government yesterday took a significant step towards agricultural transformation by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with a leading Nigerian investment company – Cavista Holdings (owners of Agbeyewa Farms Limited) to establish a state-of-the-art cassava farm spanning 100,000 hectares within the State.
The MOU which is worth billions of naira was signed by Governor Oyebanji and the Chairman of Cavista Holdings, Niyi John Olajide on the sidelines of the 2024 US-Africa Business Summit currently ongoing in Dallas, USA.
Present at the signing ceremony were the Speaker, Ekiti State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon Adeoye Aribasoye; Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Mr Ebenezer Boluwade; Commissioner for Industry, Trade and Investment, Mrs Tayo Adeola; Commissioner for Finance, Mr Akin Oyebode; and Commissioner for Budget, Planning and Performance Management, Mr Niyi Adebayo.
On the Cavista Team were the company’s Managing Director, Mr. Dele Odufuye, Chief Financial Officer, Mr Niran Olajide, Dr. Niyi Arije (Legal Director) Mr. Cyril Akika (Member of the Board of Directors) and senior management staff of the company.
Also present were Chief Dele Kelvin Oye, President of the Nigeria Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines, and Agriculture (NACCIMA), who is also the Vice Chairman, Ekiti State Development and Investment Promotion Agency (EKDIPA); Chairman, Odu’a Investment Company, Otunba Bimbo Ashiru as well as other key stakeholders from the public and private sectors.
Speaking during the event, Governor Oyebanji articulated the government’s vision for agricultural advancement, emphasizing the importance of strategic partnerships in driving progress. He underscored Ekiti State’s commitment to creating an enabling environment for investment and urged other investors to explore the vast opportunities available in the state, particularly in sectors such as tourism, mining, and the burgeoning Ekiti Knowledge Zone and Special Agriculture Processing Zone.
The Governor described the MOU as a testament of his administration’s commitment to the continuity of programmes of the immediate past administration of Dr Kayode Fayemi as enunciated in the State’s 30- year development plan. “This also speaks to alignment of vision. John ( Olajide) wants to create jobs. We want our people to prosper by creating opportunities for them. So, we found a good partner in John and the CAVISTA group,” he said.
