Namadi Seeks Qatari Backing for Education, Cargo Airport Upgrade
By: Ahmed Aminu, Dutse
Jigawa State Governor, Umar Namadi, has stepped up efforts to attract foreign direct investment and strategic partnerships aimed at accelerating socio-economic development in the state.
Towards this end, the governor has held bilateral talks with Qatar Ambassador to Nigeria, Yousef Mohammed Ahmed Al-Haill, at the Qatari Embassy in Abuja, where discussions centred on collaboration in the areas of education, investment and social empowerment.
A statement issued on Friday by the Governor’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Photography, Mr. Muhammed Isma’el, said the engagement was part of the governor’s deliberate move to forge international alliances capable of unlocking opportunities for Jigawa’s growing youth population and expanding the agribusiness sector.
During the meeting, Namadi highlighted the state’s vast agricultural resources, strategic location and improving human capital base. He assured the ambassador that Jigawa has instituted investor-friendly policies to create a conducive business environment for foreign partners.
The governor also briefed the envoy on joint efforts by the Federal Government and Jigawa State to upgrade Dutse International Airport to cargo standards. The initiative, he explained, is designed to boost agro-exports, enhance trade and integrate the state into global markets, in line with the Renewed Hope economic blueprint.
He stressed that strengthening export infrastructure would not only improve internally generated revenue but also create employment, stimulate rural economies and empower farmers across the state.
In his remarks, Ambassador Al-Haill expressed Qatar’s readiness to partner with Jigawa in areas of mutual interest, particularly in investment and education, describing the discussions as fruitful and forward looking.
The statement added that the engagement reflects a strategic alignment between federal economic reforms and sub-national development efforts, positioning Jigawa as an emerging investment destination in Northern Nigeria.
“The budding partnership will translate into tangible benefits, including scholarship opportunities, improved educational facilities, expanded agro-processing ventures and sustainable economic growth for the people of the state”, he emphasis.
