As Ondo State celebrates its Golden Jubilee, agribusiness firm Johnvents Group has pledged to intensify investment in agro-processing and local manufacturing, focusing on converting agricultural produce grown in the state into finished products that meet international standards.
Founder and Group Managing Director of Johnvents Group, John Alamu, said expanding value addition within Ondo would reduce the export of raw commodities, create jobs, boost incomes, and drive industrialisation. Ondo remains one of Nigeria’s leading cocoa-producing states, with thousands of smallholder farmers relying on the crop for their livelihoods.
Alamu highlighted that the company operates ten processing factories across the state, creating an integrated value chain spanning sourcing, aggregation, processing, and production of finished goods for domestic consumption and export. He emphasized that linking agriculture with manufacturing strengthens rural economies and positions Johnvents as one of the largest private-sector employers in Ondo.
“Our goal is simple, to stop exporting value and start exporting finished products. By processing cocoa and other crops locally, we create jobs, build ss, and develop products that can compete in international markets,” Alamu said. He also stressed the importance of human capital development, noting that sustainable industrial growth depends on farmers, technicians, engineers, and young professionals working within a coordinated ecosystem.
Beyond cocoa, Johnvents’ operations include cashew, sesame, legumes, almonds, pistachios, rice, edible oil, animal feed, fast-moving consumer goods, and logistics, reflecting a broader push to diversify Ondo’s agro-industrial base. The firm’s presence across Africa and international markets positions Ondo as a strategic hub within its global supply chain.
Alamu congratulated the government and people of Ondo State on the Golden Jubilee and commended Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa’s administration for sustaining policies aimed at economic and industrial growth.
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