Governor Namadi Says Jigawa Is Nigeria’s Strongest Agricultural Hub With Investment Potential

Governor Umar Namadi has reaffirmed Jigawa State’s position as Nigeria’s leading destination for agricultural investment, citing the state’s vast arable land, investor-friendly policies, and strong infrastructure.

The governor made the assertion on Wednesday while receiving a delegation of Chinese investors from Wuhan Province, People’s Republic of China, during a courtesy visit to the Government House in Dutse, Jigawa State capital.

The delegation, led by Senator Mubarak Ahmad Tijjani and Professor Guo Bao Yuan, was in Jigawa State on an agricultural investment scouting mission and has toured several farmlands across the state.

Welcoming the investors, Governor Namadi assured them of the state government’s readiness to partner with credible investors across agriculture and its 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,” he said.

Describing Jigawa as a predominantly agrarian state, the governor disclosed that about 1.4 million hectares of land were cultivable, including more than 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 said.

Namadi further highlighted Jigawa’s strategic advantages, noting that the state ranks second nationally in ease of doing business, is widely regarded as the most peaceful in the country, and boasts the best road network in Nigeria.

“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 stated.

According to the governor, over 35 per cent of Jigawa’s population were youths, with agriculture contributing about 46 per cent of the state’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), while nearly 80 per cent of residents 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,” he added.

On livestock development, Namadi said Jigawa hosts one of the largest livestock markets in Africa and disclosed that the state’s airport has recently been approved for cargo operations, a development expected to enhance agricultural exports.

He also revealed that Jigawa’s pilot alfalfa production project, initiated two years ago, has become a national reference point, attracting interest from investors and policymakers across the country.

To further ease investment processes, the governor said the state operates a one-stop investment facilitation agency, InvestJigawa, and is developing an industrial cluster alongside an Export Processing Zone.

Earlier, Professor Guo Bao Yuan, speaking on behalf of the Chinese 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 said the delegation had studied the governor’s vision for agriculture, agricultural innovation, and livestock development, and identified concrete areas of investment interest.

“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,” Yuan said.

He disclosed that the investors have strong interest in alfalfa farming and livestock development and have already visited parts of Jigawa, particularly Hadejia, where they inspected available land, existing pilot projects, and private farms in operation.

Professor Yuan added that the team was introducing advanced hybrid seedlings, some of which were 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.