Jigawa has Nigeria’s strongest agricultural investment potential- Gov Namadi
Gov. Umar Namadi has reasserted Jigawa State’s position as Nigeria’s leading destination for agricultural investment, saying that the state is endowed with all the natural resources required for diverse and large-scale agricultural activities.
The governor made this assertion while receiving a delegation of
Chinese investors from Wuhan Province, People’s Republic of China,
during a courtesy visit at the Government House, Dutse.
The delegation was led by Sen. Mubarak Ahmad Tijjani and Prof.
Guo Bao Yuan and is in Jigawa on an agricultural investment scouting
mission, having already toured several farmlands across the state.
In his remarks, Namadi warmly welcomed the Chinese investors
and assured them of the state’s readiness to partner with credible
investors in agriculture and related value chains.
“Your coming to Jigawa State is something we truly appreciate because
you are coming with very good news—to invest in our land. I want to
assure you that Jigawa State is ready for business.”
Namadi described Jigawa as an agrarian state endowed with
vast arable land, stating that about 1.4 million hectares are
cultivable, including over 400,000 hectares of fertile fadama land
suitable for diverse crops.
“This is a land where you can grow almost anything you can think of,” he stated.
The governor buttressed Jigawa’s strategic advantages,
stressing that the state ranks second in ease of doing business in
Nigeria, is widely regarded as the most peaceful state in the country,
and boasts the best road network nationwide.
“We are the second in ease of doing business in Nigeria; we are the
most peaceful state in Nigeria; and we are number one in terms of road
networks in Nigeria.”
He disclosed that over 35 percent of Jigawa’s population are youths,
with agriculture contributing about 46 percent of the state’s Gross
Domestic Product (GDP), while nearly 80 percent of the population are
engaged in farming.
“In terms of production, Jigawa is number one in wheat, sesame, and
hibiscus. We are also one of the top rice-producing states in
Nigeria.”
On livestock development, the governor noted that Jigawa hosts one of
the largest livestock markets in Africa, while its airport has
recently been approved for cargo operations, a move expected to boost
agricultural exports.
He also revealed that the state’s pilot alfalfa production project,
initiated two years ago, has become a national reference point,
attracting interest from investors and policymakers across Nigeria.
To further ease investment processes, Governor Namadi explained that
Jigawa operates a one-stop investment facilitation agency,
InvestJigawa, alongside ongoing development of an industrial cluster
and an Export Processing Zone.
Earlier, Prof. Guo Bao Yuan, who spoke on behalf of the
delegation, said the investors were from Wuhan Province and were
following up on strategic engagements held with the Jigawa State
Government in Wuhan during the China–Africa Cooperation and
Development Forum last year.
He stated that the delegation had keenly studied the governor’s vision
for agriculture, agricultural innovation, and livestock development
and identified concrete areas of interest for investment.
“We are here today to pay a courtesy visit. We have understood with
keen interest your vision as the state executive—your vision in terms
of agriculture, agricultural innovations, and livestock development.”
“We have a strong interest in alfalfa farming and livestock
development, following our engagements in Wuhan.”
He disclosed that the team had visited parts of Jigawa, particularly
Hadejia, where they inspected available land for livestock development
and alfalfa production, as well as existing pilot projects, including
private farms already in operation.
Yuan added that the investors are bringing advanced hybrid
seedlings, some of which are already undergoing trial cultivation at
the Centre for Dryland Agriculture (CDA), Bayero University Kano, and
the Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR), Ahmadu Bello
University, Zaria.
Jigawa has Nigeria’s strongest agricultural investment potential- Gov Namadi
