В Квара состоялись предконкурсные слушания по строительству центров аграрной трансформации

Governor Kwara State, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq By Demola Akinyemi In a bid to accelerate agricultural industrialisation and promote transparency in public procurement, the Kwara state government has conducted a pre-bid conference for the procurement of the State Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones Project’s Agricultural Transformation Centres (ATCs) infrastructure. The conference, which assembled prospective bidders, technical staff members and project stakeholders, was to provide detailed information on the bidding process, clarify procurement requirements, and ensure a common understanding of the scope of the project. Speaking during the session, the State Project Coordinator, Kwara State Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) Project, Engr. Dr. Busari Toyin Isiaka, reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to a fair and transparent procurement process to ensure compliance with the established procurement guidelines and international best practices. Busari recalled that the assignment was advertised on the 13th of July, 2026, which was to close by 12:00 pm of 18th of August, 2026. He further explained that the conference would afford prospective bidders the opportunity to obtain essential information on the procurement guidelines, bid evaluation criteria, technical specifications of the infrastructure, and site information for each of the Agricultural Transformation Centres, stating that participants were to be guided through the bidding procedures and given the opportunity to seek clarification on various aspects of the procurement documents. Reading the procedure to the bidders, the Procurement Officer, Mr. Kabir Yinka Ibiyemi, highlighted the packages in the Infrastructure project. While urging bidders to try to check and understand the bidding documents to be properly guided in the process, he noted that the session reflected a devotion to openness, fairness, accountability, and efficient project implementation. “To have converged here for a pre-bid session reinforces the confidence of our bidders in the integrity of the Kwara SAPZ procurement process. To our bidders, you are enjoined to adhere strictly to the bidding guidelines as outlined in the bidding documents”, Ibiyemi advised. The Project Infrastructure Engineer, Engr. Dr. Ezekiel Olanrewaju Ariyo, gave the clear picture of the Kwara SAPZ’s Agricultural Transformation Centres, saying that they are a strategic component of the Kwara SAPZ Project, designed to enhance agricultural productivity, strengthen value chains, improve post-harvest handling, and create market opportunities for farmers and agribusinesses across the state. “Kwara ATCs are to be sited in four LGAs including Olodan in Ifelodun; Afon in Asa; Gida Magajiya in Baruten and Kinnijinni in Kaiama. And they are raw material hubs to service the agro-hub in Malete to enhance the value chain for livestock development”, he stated. Rolling out the features of the infrastructure in the four agricultural transformation centres, the Team Lead, Bentley Adams (Designed and Supervision, Consultants), Nigeria Limited, Engr. Dr. Adekunle Olaoye, stated that the project comprises two packages, each consisting of three lots with respective facilities. He furnished the bidders with the current situation of the project’s locations, adding that the Kwara SAPZ’s ATCs will transform the agricultural landscape, stimulate investment and create employment opportunities which would lead to sustainable economic growth in the State.