By Faridat Salifu
The South-West Development Commission (SWDC) has launched the “Transformed Communities” (TransComs) initiative to support clusters of contiguous farming communities across South-West Nigeria.
The programme aims to address infrastructure gaps, improve agricultural production, enhance agro-processing, and provide enterprise support and skills development, particularly for youths.
TransComs is being implemented in collaboration with the Foundation for Technology Innovation and Sustainable Development (FTID), which serves as the technical partner for the project.
SWDC Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Dr Charles ‘Diji’ Akinola, said TransComs is among the commission’s flagship programmes.
He said the initiative was aimed at transforming agriculture, strengthening food security, and improving rural incomes under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Akinola added that the programme aligns with SWDC’s broader mandate to drive infrastructure expansion, industrial development, human capital growth, and job creation under its regional integration framework.
He said the initiative is expected to attract agro-processing industries, facilitate access to markets, and build more resilient local economies across the South-West.
SWDC Executive Director for Commercial and Environmental Development, Fatai Ibikunle, said the initiative is a priority for the commission and will focus on communities that face infrastructure deficits, limited market access, and few employment opportunities despite the South-West remaining Nigeria’s leading economic region.
He explained that the initiative encourages community participation and local ownership to ensure sustainable outcomes rather than isolated or short-term interventions.
Initial deployment will begin with pilot communities before scaling up across the six states of the region, depending on readiness, partnership alignment, and resource availability.