Two American based investors, Ecotech-rab and Tranfeed Group along with their Nigerian partner, Satco Global Group will in the next 18 months establish cassava production and processing factories in Kwara State.

The factories to be sited in Edidi, Irepodun local government area of the state are expected to gulp $100 million.

The factories when completed are expected to create about 2,500 jobs, the Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Satco Global Group, Femi D. Philips, has said.

Philips spoke to reporters in Edidi shortly after paying a courtesy visit to the Eledidi of Edidi land, Oba Gabriel Aboyeji, in his palace on Thursday.

He said: "We are the sponsors of this project and it is going to cost us about $100 million. We intend to complete the project in the next 18 months. The project is expected to gulp about five thousand hectares of land. The first phase will be about two streams of 120 tons per day and there will be an upgrade of 48 tons per day, giving us about 168 tons per day for a stream.

"We are going to bring our expertise into planting cassava in a manner that will allow for optimum yield. So we are bringing our species from outside Nigeria and blend with the local species in Nigeria. We are looking at working with IITA in this area.

"We are going to be producing starch powder, ethanol and production of feeds for livestock and others. It is an agro-business kind of."