The Jigawa State Government has entered into a partnership with the Border Communities Development Agency (BCDA) and Chinese investors, to establish a livestock processing plant in Maigatari, a border town in the state.
Governor Umar Namadi announced this when he received the Executive Secretary of BCDA, Dr. George Kelly, and representatives of the Yangpu Global Corporation Forum of China, at Government House, Dutse.
The project, according to the governor, will create jobs, boost cross-border trade, and strengthen Jigawa’s economy while improving the livelihoods of border communities.
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Governor Namadi assured the investors of his administration’s full support, reiterating Jigawa’s status as a leading investment destination in Nigeria.
“Jigawa ranks second in ease of doing business nationwide and hosts one of the largest livestock markets in Africa. With our new Ministry of Livestock Development, we are committed to transforming the sector and making Jigawa a livestock hub,” he said.
The governor added that the state’s one-stop-shop investment promotion agency would facilitate the process for the investors, promising that the partnership would benefit both Jigawa citizens and the investors.
Dr. Kelly explained that Maigatari was chosen as the pilot site because of its strategic location and strong economic potential.
He said the Chinese investors had secured funding from banks in China and were prepared to commence work, noting Jigawa’s investment-friendly policies and key infrastructure such as the ongoing rail project and the proposed cargo airport in Dutse.
“The Yangpu Global Corporation Forum is interested in both cattle production and processing, and Maigatari offers the right conditions for this investment,” he said, commending Governor Namadi’s “visionary leadership.”