The Jigawa State Government is set to roll out a 100,000-hectare alfalfa production project projected to generate 2 million metric tonnes annually and up to $540 million in export revenue.
The initiative will commence with a 1,000-hectare pilot phase before scaling up to full capacity under the Jigawa Alfalfa Value Chain Development Initiative, a partnership between the state government and El-Meena Farms Ltd.
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At full implementation, the project is expected to create over 100,000 jobs across production, processing, logistics and export value chains, positioning Jigawa as a major livestock feed hub in Nigeria and West Africa.
According to projections under the agreement signed in December 2025, annual export earnings from the project are estimated at between $440 million and $540 million.
To support the pilot phase, an initial investment of $5 million has been earmarked for advanced centre-pivot irrigation systems. Financing for the broader project is structured under the NEXIM Bank–Saudi EXIM Bank export window, while Saudi Arabia’s Alkhorayef Group will provide technical expertise for irrigation infrastructure.
The project gained further momentum following a high-level delegation led by Governor Umar Namadi to Córdoba Province, Argentina — the country’s largest alfalfa production hub and part of the world’s second-largest alfalfa-producing nation. The delegation toured major forage processing and animal nutrition facilities to understudy mechanisation, irrigation innovation, feed processing and export logistics systems.
Officials say the large-scale alfalfa production drive is designed to reduce livestock feed shortages, boost productivity and strengthen Nigeria’s agro-export capacity.
Governor Namadi described the initiative as a strategic economic investment aimed at transforming Jigawa into a leading centre for commercial forage production while contributing significantly to national export earnings.
