World Bank, Others Laud Akwa Ibom’s Access To Rural Produce

The Akwa Ibom State Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (AKS-RAAMP) has been applauded for setting the pace in the development of agro-logistic centres among the RAAMP’s States in Nigeria.

The commendation was made during the assessment tour to the state by the national coordinator of RAAMP, Engr. Aminu Mohammed, in collaboration with the Agro-logistics Implementation Support Mission (AISM) and the World Bank, the French Development Agency (AFD), and the Federal Project Management Unit (FPMU),.

LEADERSHIP learnt the Agro-logistic centres, was a deliberate policy design aimed at transforming rural markets into modern business hubs, featuring facilities such as lock-up shops, parking lots, banking and health services, warehouses, cold storage, water supply, perimeter fencing, and uninterrupted power supply.

Engr. Mohammed noted that only two of the 19 participating states had begun the implementation of the agro-logistics component.

He described Akwa Ibom’s work on the three intervention sites at  Nsit Ibom,  Ikono and Okobo local government areas as “exemplary in both quality and pace.”

“Having visited the sites and compared them with the State Project Coordinator’s presentation, I can confidently say that Akwa Ibom is leading in this regard,” he stressed.

The World Bank Task Team Leader on Agro-Logistics, Samuel Tefesse, also applauded the State’s progress while urging that displaced traders be prioritised in the allocation of shops once completed. This underscored the need for a comprehensive management plan to ensure sustainability.

World Bank Social Safeguards Specialist, Funmi Oyeloa, called for affordability in shop allocations, instalment payment options for traders, and inclusive designs for people with disabilities and cautioned against political interference in market management.

The FPMU engineering team, led by Engr. Bukar Gana reviewed the design and civil works issues at the sites, while the State Project Coordinator of AKS-RAAMP, Pastor Gideon Akpan, confirmed June 2026 as the completion date for the three markets and appealed for approval “to expand interventions to additional markets to meet the State’s growing economic needs.”