{
  "id": 11453685,
  "title": "Why Oyo withdrew from Botswana maize export deal — Govt",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/02/why-oyo-withdrew-from-botswana-maize-export-deal-govt-11453685",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-10-02T14:08:52.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Punch Nigeria",
    "slug": "punch-nigeria",
    "url": "https://punchng.com/why-oyo-withdrew-from-botswana-maize-export-deal-govt/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": null,
  "summary": "The Oyo State Government has explained why it pulled out of a maize export deal with the Government of Botswana. According to the government, data analysis showed that large-scale maize export was not economically viable, prompting the decision to protect Oyo State farmers.\n\nThe government, under Governor Seyi Makinde, had initially explored a bilateral deal with Botswana to guarantee off-take and foreign exchange earnings for local farmers. However, studies by the Oyo State Agribusiness Development Agency (OYSADA) found that the economics of the deal were not favourable.\n\nThe state is instead focusing on more profitable value chains, such as cassava. The government cited several agribusiness achievements, including the Ijaye Agribusiness Industrial Hub, the Fasola Agribusiness Industrial Park, which is recognised by the African Development Bank as Nigeria's first Agricultural Transformation Centre, and the establishment of OYSADA.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Punch",
        "title": "Why Oyo withdrew from Botswana maize export deal — Govt",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/02/why-oyo-withdrew-from-botswana-maize-export-deal-govt",
        "published": "2026-10-02T13:56:53.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}