The Kwara State Government has commenced the opening of bids for the construction of processing and non-processing support facilities for the Agro-Industrial Hub in Malete, Moro Local Government Area, as part of initiatives to advance the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones Project.

This development was contained in a statement released on Tuesday by Sangodare Ayinla of the KW-SAPZ Project Implementation Unit.

Addressing the exercise, the State Project Coordinator of the KW-SAPZ, Busari Isiaka, recalled that the contract was advertised on 25 March 2026 in national dailies, describing the bid opening as a significant milestone in the procurement process.

"Opening of bids for the procurement of the construction of the processing and non-processing support facilities for the Agro-Industrial Hub at Malete, Kwara State, came up today, marking a month from the date of the publication," he said.

He confirmed that the exercise was conducted in full compliance with Islamic Development Bank procurement guidelines and the provisions of the bidding documents.

"We confirm that the opening of bids has been conducted in full compliance with the Islamic Development Bank procurement guidelines and the provisions of the bidding documents, ensuring transparency and fairness," he added.

The KW-SAPZ coordinator disclosed that although eight bidders purchased bid documents, only four submissions were received and publicly opened.

The four bidders were RTD Thomson Ltd, DPL Construction, RSA Global Services Ltd, and Afdin Construction Ltd.

He stated that the next phase would involve a detailed evaluation of the submitted bids by the Evaluation Committee in line with established procedures, while cautioning bidders against any attempt to influence the process.

"We urge all bidders to refrain from any form of communication intended to influence the evaluation process. The outcome of the evaluation will be formally communicated to all bidders in due course," Isiaka said.

The Technical Assistant on Procurement at the National Coordination Office of the SAPZ Project, Tony Omyekyweli, noted that the bid opening formed part of the structured activities leading to contract award, adding that the evaluation report would be forwarded to the Islamic Development Bank for further review.

The Procurement Officer of the KW-SAPZ Project, Kabir Yinka Ibiyemi, said the evaluation process would strictly follow the bid opening checklist and outlined requirements submitted by bidders.

A representative of SAO Capital, the transaction advisory firm, Osigbodi Kolawole, described the exercise as transparent and fully in line with Islamic Development Bank procurement standards.

The Executive Officer of the Centre for Community Empowerment and Poverty Eradication, Abdurrahman Akindele Ayuba, described the session as merit-driven, saying it would ultimately produce a quality outcome.

A representative of Afdin Construction, Babatunde Seun, commended the organisers for ensuring inclusiveness and openness, saying the bid opening process was seamless.

The Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones Project is a federal government initiative supported by the African Development Bank and other development finance institutions, including the Islamic Development Bank, aimed at establishing agro-industrial hubs across Nigeria to boost agricultural value addition, create jobs, and drive rural economic development.

The project is being implemented across several states, with each state establishing a dedicated processing zone anchored around its key agricultural produce.

Kwara State's SAPZ is located in Malete, Moro Local Government Area, a community that is also home to the Kwara State University.

The hub is designed to process agricultural products from the state's farming communities, attract private investment into agro-processing, and create employment opportunities for rural dwellers.