Move to Expand Special Economic Zones and Agro-Processing Hubs Across the Continent
ABIDJAN / Ivory Coast, 28 May 2025: The African Development Bank (AfDB) has approved a $100 million equity investment in Arise Integrated Industrial Platforms (Arise IIP), a prominent developer and operator of industrial zones in Africa.
The investment aims to scale up the development of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and industrial platforms focused on agro-processing and value chain transformation.
According to a statement from the Bank, the funding will be used to support Arise IIP’s expansion across multiple African nations as part of the Bank’s broader industrialization strategy and its flagship Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) initiative.
Arise IIP’s industrial platforms are designed to enhance local processing capabilities in African countries that are traditionally exporters of raw commodities. These zones offer industrial land, shared infrastructure, utility services, and streamlined administrative support to agro-industrial firms. The goal is to relocate global supply chains closer to raw material sources, thereby reducing the carbon footprint of trade and stimulating domestic economies.
“There is economic and social value to be added to African-grown commodities like timber, cashew, cocoa, and cotton when they are processed locally,” said Dr. Beth Dunford, AfDB Vice President for Agriculture, Human and Social Development. “This investment enables transformative, private-sector-led agro-industrialization.”
Arise IIP has already demonstrated success in Gabon, Benin, and Togo. The company’s existing zones—including the Gabon Special Economic Zone (GSEZ), Glo-Djigbé Industrial Zone (GDIZ) in Benin, and the Plateforme Industrielle d’Adétikopé (PIA) in Togo—have attracted over 400 companies from 47 industry sectors and created more than 50,000 jobs. To date, tenant companies have mobilized over $7 billion in investments within these zones.
“This investment is a signal of the Bank’s commitment to scaling up industrialization in sectors where Africa holds a competitive edge,” said Solomon Quaynor, AfDB Vice President for Private Sector, Infrastructure, and Industrialization. He also emphasized the strategic nature of the partnership with African multilateral financial institutions, such as the Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) and the Fund for Export Development in Africa (FEDA), Afreximbank’s equity investment arm—both of which are key investors in Arise IIP.
Gagan Gupta, CEO of Arise IIP, welcomed the Bank’s backing. “The African Development Bank’s investment highlights their confidence in our model as a driver of Africa’s industrial growth. This will strengthen our mission to build sustainable value chains and generate employment across the continent.”
The investment marks a significant step toward realizing Africa’s long-term goal of shifting from raw material exportation to local production and value addition—an essential component in improving trade balance, reducing poverty, and achieving inclusive economic growth.
