The Jigawa State Government has partnered with a leading Saudi Arabian agricultural firm and Netay Agro-Tech, a Nigeria-based agribusiness, to enhance date palm production in the state.
Governor Umar Namadi disclosed this on Tuesday while receiving a delegation from one of Saudi Arabia’s largest firms specializing in date palm plantation and farm management.
Read Also: How I harvest over 80 bags of rice, employ 30 people on my farm- Jigawa female farmer
Read Also: Jigawa wheat farmers hopeful as state gov’t offers 75% subsidy
The delegation’s leader, Abdul’aziz Abdurrahman-Al-Awf, reaffirmed the group’s commitment to introducing advanced farming techniques to Jigawa.
“We want to ensure year-round date palm production rather than seasonal yields, and our collaboration will involve extensive farmer training and youth empowerment,” he stated.
He further noted, “We also want to introduce some of Saudi Arabia’s most valuable and high-yielding date varieties to be produced in Jigawa.”
According to Abdurrahman-Al-Awf, the visit aimed at finalizing a strategic partnership to enhance Jigawa’s date palm sector through advanced agricultural expertise, technology transfer, and large-scale investment.
“This partnership will not only increase the quantity of dates produced in Jigawa but also significantly improve quality, making the state a potential hub for date farming in Nigeria and Africa,” he added.
Governor Namadi welcomed the initiative, describing it as a key component of his administration’s agricultural development strategy.
“We warmly welcome you to Jigawa State and appreciate your interest in working with us. As a government, we are fully committed to this collaboration because it will greatly benefit our people,” the governor said.
“Your visit and willingness to partner with us in establishing date farms across the state, as well as improving our wheat production, align perfectly with our vision for agricultural development.”
The governor also assured the partners of his administration’s readiness to provide the necessary resources to ensure the project’s successful implementation. He expressed confidence that the collaboration would position Jigawa as a major player in the global date palm industry.
Abubakar Musa-Bamai of Netay Agro-Tech highlighted the extensive groundwork already undertaken, including soil analysis and consultations with research institutions.
He revealed that four highly sought-after date palm varieties—Mejdool (Meju), Barhi (Bari), Sukkari (Sukari), and Ajwa—had been identified as ideal for large-scale cultivation in Jigawa.
During the visit, the Saudi delegation, alongside representatives from Netay Agro-Tech, toured various locations across the state to assess potential sites for the project.
