Jigawa Governor Leads Delegation to Argentina to Advance Alfalfa Production and Strengthen Agribusiness Exports
Governor of is leading a high-level technical learning mission to as the state accelerates plans to expand forage production and build a competitive agribusiness export base across northern Nigeria.
The visit, undertaken with El-Meena Farms Limited and international partners including Saudi Arabia’s , is focused on the alfalfa value chain. The delegation spent time in Córdoba Province, whose semi-arid conditions closely resemble northern Nigeria’s ecology and support large-scale forage farming.
In Córdoba, the team toured extensive alfalfa, soy and corn fields to study crop management techniques and water-use efficiencies that sustain yields in dry climates. They also visited Biofarma S.A., a leading animal nutrition company, to examine livestock health and feeding systems designed to improve productivity.
At Nafosa and Pellfood processing plants, the delegation assessed industrial systems for mega-baling, high-density compaction and pelleting—technologies that enable forage to move efficiently from farm to feed markets at scale. Officials said the insights will guide Jigawa’s transition from fragmented production to organised, export-ready agribusiness.
“This mission is not merely a study tour; it is a foundational step toward job creation and improved Internally Generated Revenue,” Governor Namadi said. “By adapting Argentina’s industrial blueprints, Jigawa is moving from subsistence farming to a commercial, export-focused agricultural system.”
The delegation included the Commissioner for Livestock Development, Dr. Abdurrahman Salim Lawal, and the Director-General of the Jigawa Agriculture Transformation Agency, Dr. Saifullahi Umar. Lessons from the mission are expected to be applied at El-Meena Farms and across the state’s planned farm clusters.
Officials noted that Argentina’s cluster model links smallholder farmers to shared processing and logistics hubs, offering access to machinery, quality seed and extension services, while centralised processing helps standardise output and meet export health standards. Jigawa plans to replicate this approach to secure steady demand and foreign exchange.
The learning mission builds on a landmark Memorandum of Understanding signed last year between the Jigawa State Government and to develop Nigeria’s largest fodder export corridor through the Jigawa Alfalfa Value Chain Development Project.
Valued at $540 million, the public-private partnership targets cultivation of 100,000 hectares of premium alfalfa with projected annual export revenues of between $440 million and $540 million. Alkhorayef Group has been selected as the preferred technical partner for irrigation infrastructure.
Governor Namadi described the initiative as a cornerstone of his administration’s economic agenda and an economic bridge between Nigeria and the Middle East. “By combining Jigawa’s vast land resources with El-Meena’s operational expertise and Saudi Arabia’s irrigation technology, we are building a high-value export corridor aligned with President ’s Renewed Hope Agenda,” he said.
The project is structured around the NEXIM Bank–Saudi EXIM Bank export-financing window, with an initial $5 million earmarked for advanced centre-pivot irrigation systems for a 1,000-hectare pilot phase. Through its Nigerian representative, Capemano Consulting, Alkhorayef Group will deploy water-efficient technologies to enable year-round, high-yield production for Gulf Cooperation Council markets including Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar.
The MoU followed a visit by a high-level delegation led by , Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA). At the signing in Dutse, key stakeholders—including the Managing Director of NEXIM Bank, Abubakar Abba Bello; Jaiz Bank Managing Director, Haruna Musa; MOFI Managing Director, Dr. Armstrong Takang; and representatives of the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority—endorsed the initiative.
Inuwa said the project aligns with the federal government’s priorities on food security and agricultural expansion, adding that Jigawa’s investment-friendly climate supports immediate take-off.
Providing technical context, the Commissioner for Livestock Development, Professor Salim Mohammed, described alfalfa as a high-protein forage capable of transforming livestock productivity, generating mass employment and expanding export earnings.
The project will operate through a special purpose vehicle, Jigawa El-Meena Farms, scaling from a 1,000-hectare pilot to a 100,000-hectare mega-estate with projected annual output of two million metric tons of alfalfa. It is expected to create more than 100,000 direct jobs and incorporate inclusive out-grower schemes for pastoralists.
Founded in 1957 in Riyadh and operating in more than 40 countries, Alkhorayef Group brings decades of expertise in sustainable water management and agricultural technology, while El-Meena Farms serves as the anchor partner for operations and export logistics.
By PRNigeria