HoR Deputy Speaker Considers Establishing Food Processing Centres In Southeast

Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives (HoR), has hinted that the Peace In South East Project (PISE-P) will establish food processing centres in all five South East States.
Kalu also announced that the parliament is willing to work with the International Trade Centre (ITC) to improve Nigeria’s digital economy.
He revealed all of this over the weekend while hosting a delegation from the International Trade Centre (ITC) at Nigeria’s National Assembly in Abuja.
The Deputy Speaker praised the Center’s significant contributions to Nigerian and West African economic development, saying, “Your work is truly commendable.”
He highlighted the organisation’s ongoing projects in Nigeria and West Africa, such as the EU-funded WACOMP programme and the GIZ-funded ECOWAS Agricultural Trade (EAT) programme.
These initiatives, he claimed, have significantly increased Nigeria’s agricultural trade capacity, boosting intra-regional agricultural trade, economic resilience, and food security.
He also mentioned the IDEAS project’s upcoming nationwide expansion in 2025, which will provide invaluable technical assistance to the country’s agri-food e-commerce ecosystem.
The Deputy Speaker informed the delegation that PISE-P and the Nigerian Communications Satellite (NigComSat) are working together to establish community digital hubs throughout the South East.
“We are eager to work with the ITC to advance this initiative. Our goal is to use these community digital hubs to provide local onboarding and training in the IDEAS program’s digitization and e-commerce components.
“We can provide targeted training and support to micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) via the digital hubs established by the PISE-P and NigComSat partnership.
“This collaboration will help local businesses succeed in the digital economy and improve their global competitiveness,” Kalu said.
He was concerned about the devastating impact of insecurity on businesses and incomes in the South-East region.
He emphasised that focusing on education, agriculture, and infrastructure development are critical non-kinetic measures for restoring peace and stimulating development in the region.
“As we anticipate the IDEAS program’s nationwide expansion in 2025, we are eager to collaborate with PISE-P.” PISE-P’s efforts to address socioeconomic challenges and promote peace and development are perfectly aligned with the goals of the IDEAS programme.
By working together, we can create a more resilient and inclusive digital economy, particularly in regions facing significant challenges.
“It is critical to bridge the digital divide so that all Nigerians can take advantage of the opportunities provided by the digital economy.
“To promote inclusive growth, the digital access gap between urban and rural areas must be addressed.
“We believe that by working together, the ITC, PISE-P, and the House of Representatives can implement effective strategies to provide underserved communities with digital access and literacy.
“This will ensure that no one is left behind in our digital transformation journey,” Kalu said.
Ms. Natasha Aniekwu, leader of the ITC delegation, emphasised the agency’s mission to promote trade, particularly in developing economies. The International Trade Centre (ITC), co-owned by the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and the United Nations (UN), aims to facilitate trade between Africa, Asia, and the Middle East.
Ms Aniekwu complimented the Deputy Speaker on his numerous initiatives to support local businesses. She also informed him about the ITC’s programme aimed at making e-commerce more accessible and beneficial to small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs), particularly in underserved areas. She expressed the agency’s desire to collaborate with his office to advance this mission.
“We are a Geneva-based agency co-owned by the World Trade Organisation and the United Nations. Our primary goal is to promote trade across developing economies, so we work extensively in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. We currently have a project office in Nigeria at the ECOWAS Commission,” Aniekwu explained.
“Our primary reason for visiting is to talk about a Nigeria-focused programme. We ran a six-month pilot of this programme in Imo State with substantial support from the Ministry of Trade.
“The main goal of the IDEAs programme is to make e-commerce more accessible and beneficial to SMEs or business communities in underserved or vulnerable areas.”