The government said the decision was part of Governor ‘Seyi Makinde’s broader approach of using data, scientific analysis and market realities to guide agricultural policies and protect farmers from avoidable economic risks.
In a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media, Dr Sulaimon Olanrewaju, the government said the Botswana maize initiative was initially considered because of its potential to expand cultivation, provide guaranteed off-take for farmers and generate foreign exchange.
The state government, however, said subsequent feasibility studies conducted by the Oyo State Agribusiness Development Agency (OYSADA) indicated that maize production in the state could not meet the scale and price requirements needed for sustainable international export.
According to the statement, “comprehensive feasibility studies conducted by the Oyo State Agribusiness Development Agency revealed that Oyo State did not possess a strong comparative advantage in maize production at the scale and price required for international export.”
The government said the findings informed its decision to redirect attention to agricultural value chains with stronger commercial prospects, particularly cassava production and processing.
Governor Makinde had also publicly explained the change in strategy, saying: “When we took a closer look at the data, it became clear that maize was not the crop we could competitively export at that point. So, we shifted attention to cassava.”
The government said the decision was also influenced by developments in the national maize market, including the Federal Government’s approval of large-scale maize importation, which it said affected local market prices and altered the economics of domestic maize production.
It stated that the administration consequently considered it necessary to avoid exposing Oyo farmers to additional market shocks.
The statement stressed that the decision to abandon the proposed maize export arrangement did not amount to a withdrawal from international agricultural trade.
Rather, it said the administration was pursuing a broader strategy aimed at positioning Oyo State to participate sustainably in regional and continental markets.
The state government pointed to its adoption and implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) strategy as part of efforts to strengthen Oyo’s participation in international trade. In February 2026, the state said it had positioned itself to leverage AfCFTA for export business and industrialisation.
It said the establishment of OYSADA and the development of agribusiness industrial hubs were also central to the administration’s agricultural strategy.
According to the government, the Fasola Agribusiness Industrial Hub is a major component of the strategy, while additional agro-industrial development is taking place in Eruwa and Ijaiye under the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones programme. The state government says the Fasola hub was developed to promote private-sector participation and value-chain integration.
The statement said the administration’s objective was to move agriculture beyond primary production by connecting farmers with processors, investors and markets.
It added that investments in rural roads, security and other infrastructure were designed to improve the movement of agricultural produce, reduce post-harvest losses and enhance the profitability of farming.
The government further said feasibility studies showing stronger prospects for cassava had informed the administration’s decision to expand cassava production and processing.
The statement described the policy shift as evidence of the administration’s willingness to review its plans when available data indicated that previous assumptions were no longer economically sustainable.
It quoted the government as saying the objective was to build “a sustainable agricultural economy anchored on data, competitiveness, and long-term value.”
The government maintained that the broader agribusiness strategy was aimed at attracting investment, creating jobs, supporting farmers and positioning Oyo State to take advantage of opportunities within the African market.
It therefore reaffirmed its commitment to supporting farmers, attracting private investment and making agriculture a major driver of economic growth and job creation in the state.