The Founder and Group Managing Director of CapitalSage Holdings, John Alamu, has called for accelerated investment in value addition and agricultural industrialisation as a key strategy for Ondo State’s long-term economic transformation.
Alamu made the call at the Ondo Investment Summit 2026 themed “The New Ondo: Forging the Pathway to Prosperity,” where he urged investors and policymakers to move beyond primary agriculture and prioritise large-scale processing, manufacturing and integrated value chains.
According to him, while Ondo State possesses abundant agricultural resources, strategic location and a growing pool of skilled manpower, real economic transformation will only occur when raw agricultural produce is converted into higher-value goods.
He explained that value addition remains the engine of sustainable development because it boosts productivity, creates skilled jobs, retains wealth within the state and strengthens Nigeria’s competitiveness in global value chains.
Drawing from his experience in reviving distressed industrial assets, Alamu noted that large-scale agro-processing is both achievable and already delivering results.
“Through Johnvents Group, a global value chain participant and agro-processing arm of CapitalSage Holdings, we have transformed previously dormant industrial assets into fully functional production hubs,” he said.
Alamu revealed that what began as a single distressed cocoa processing facility in Akure has grown into a network of 10 factories across four major towns in Ondo State.
The facilities include an 18,000-metric-tonne cocoa processing plant in Akure, a 30,000-metric-tonne Premium Cocoa Products factory in Ile-Oluji, and the Noble-Eagle Industrial Complex located in Idanre and Owo.
These factories produce cocoa derivatives, edible oils, seasoning cubes, beverages and animal feed for both domestic consumption and export markets.
He disclosed that the group currently employs more than 3,000 people directly and indirectly, integrates over 20,000 farmers into structured supply chains and supports more than 10,000 students through education, vocational training and sports initiatives.
Alamu said the next phase of Ondo State’s economic growth must focus on expanding processing capacity, improving infrastructure and strengthening collaboration between government and private investors.
“What is required now is scale, greater processing capacity, stronger infrastructure and sustained collaboration between government and private capital,” he said.
He also called for improved power supply, clearer regulatory frameworks and predictable policies to attract more investment into the agro-industrial sector.
According to him, economic transformation accelerates when government removes bottlenecks and private investors respond with bold capital deployment.
“When the government reduces friction and private capital moves boldly, transformation accelerates,” he added.
Fidelis David in Akure
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