The Oyo State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) as Ambassador Omowunmi Dauda, CEO of Abisal Megatop Limited, inaugurated a new agribusiness and food processing hub at Sukuru Village, Iyana Offa, Lagelu Local Government, Ibadan. The facility aims to assist young, female, and vulnerable food processors across the country, fostering growth within the agribusiness sector.
At the commissioning event, Prince Adebowale Falana Adebayo, Chairman of the Oyo State Agency for Youth Development, represented Governor Seyi Makinde. He emphasized that the administration is dedicated to encouraging youth with innovative ideas, particularly in agribusiness, and supporting them to thrive in various sectors. Falana praised Abisal Megatop Limited for its initiative, commending the food processing machines and equipment provided at the hub for local businesses.
Falana noted, “We are ready to partner with youths who have ideas in any field. This is not limited to agribusiness but also includes entertainment, sports, digital skills, and more. Governor Makinde has tasked us to ensure that youths with creative ideas are supported, and that’s why we are here today to support Omowunmi Dauda and her agribusiness initiative.”
Empowering SMEs and Promoting Food Security
In her address, Ambassador Omowunmi Dauda, Managing Director of Abisal Megatop Limited, expressed gratitude to the Oyo State Government for its support. She highlighted that the hub would focus on training youth and women in food processing, providing them access to machinery like milling, drying, and sealing equipment. The goal is to help SMEs process and package food products for both local and international markets, contributing to food security.
“We are committed to training youth and women in food processing and commercializing farm produce,” Dauda said. “Our goal is to ensure food sufficiency by empowering vulnerable farmers and processors. With the right support from the government, we can reduce food wastage and create more jobs in the agribusiness value chain.”
A Vision for Expansion
Looking ahead, Dauda envisions Abisal Megatop Limited scaling up its operations: “In the next five years, I see Abisal feeding all of Nigeria, and in ten years, feeding the whole world.” She called for collaboration from stakeholders and urged the government to provide further support for agribusiness SMEs, particularly in the provision of processing equipment at subsidized rates.
Call for Support for Local Products
Traditional leaders and other stakeholders present at the event echoed the importance of supporting locally produced goods. Oba Adebowale Aderemi JP, the Onilaaduntan of Laduntan, encouraged Nigerians to patronize homegrown products, highlighting the role this plays in boosting the local economy.
In addition to commissioning the hub, Abisal distributed maize seeds to farmers and packaged food products to mark World Food Day, underscoring its commitment to empowering local farmers and addressing food insecurity.
The event was attended by local government officials, traditional rulers, and agribusiness stakeholders, who all pledged support for the initiative and urged continuous collaboration between the government and SMEs to promote sustainable agriculture and food processing in Nigeria.
