The Benue State Government has disclosed plans to commence large-scale production of juice by August 2025.
The initiative was aimed at boosting agro-industrialisation in the state.
Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Benue Investment and Property Company (BIPC), Dr. Raymond Asemakaha, disclosed this on Tuesday during an inspection tour of various state infrastructure projects in Zone B.
The tour included visits to Benue Links Park, Benue State University Teaching Hospital (BSUTH), Governor Alia’s Pharmaco-Surgical Complex, the Therapeutic Centre for Children with Special Needs, and the ongoing construction of the Benue State Cancer Centre project.
Other sites visited included the construction of a 230,000-litre-per-day capacity waterworks, Food Basket Brewery Ltd, BIPC Bread and Water Company, the Benue State Agribusiness and Mechanization Centre (in partnership with Mass International and Equipment Nigeria Limited), Benue Printing House, the ongoing underpass in Makurdi, and the juice company, among others.
Asemakaha provided updates on the company’s industrial initiatives aimed at boosting the local economy and creating jobs.
He said several business units were nearing completion, including a beer factory which was at 90% completion, a juice factory ready to begin production in 90 days, a bread factory which has been operational for one year and a water plant.
The Managing Director said beer from the company would be produced using locally sourced rice and cassava, promoting agricultural integration and supporting local farmers, while the juice factory will process locally-grown oranges currently exported informally to neighbouring countries.
Additionally, he stressed that the bread factory has become a source of livelihood for many women, recording strong daily sales of approximately N6 million and creating over 474 direct and 3,080 indirect jobs.
“We are trying as much as possible to introduce businesses that will help drive the economy, including government participation. Local people will farm this cassava, they will farm this rice, and they will bring it here.
“We just visited the juice factory, and it is also going to start production in the next 90 days. We are tired of people coming to buy our oranges. We have the best oranges in the world today,” he stated.
Also speaking, former Minister of Information, Mr Labaran Maku called for a decentralised approach to development across Nigeria, stressing the need for equitable growth in all regions.
Maku commended Governor Alia for his significant interventions in the human and health sectors, as well as for the ongoing infrastructure projects, particularly in Makurdi, the state capital.
He described the developments as part of a commendable urban renewal effort, emphasising that state capitals like Makurdi should serve as a hub for regional economic growth.
He noted Makurdi’s well-planned layout and expressed optimism that continued progress would attract investment and promote settlement beyond cities like Lagos and Kano.
Maku urged contractors to maintain their momentum so that future administrations can build on the current foundation.
He maintained that although the reviews of the projects were still ongoing, the progress seen so far was encouraging and aligned with the broader development plan.
“This is what we call urban renewal. We believe that each of our 36 state capitals ought to be centres that drive economic development in the surrounding regions. We believe that Makurdi, one of the most well-planned cities, along with Kaduna, was designed from the beginning with development in mind.
“These cities were well planned. And if what we see continues if these projects are delivered, the number of road projects already completed and the network being developed is very encouraging,” Maku said.
