By Mohammed Abubakar Dutse
The Jigawa State Government has entered into a strategic partnership with a leading Saudi Arabian Agricultural Firm and Nigeria-based Netay Agro-Tech to enhance date palm production in the state.
Governor Umar Namadi disclosed this while playing host to a delegation of one of Saudi Arabia’s largest agricultural firms, specializing in palm plantation and farm management, led by Abdelaziz Abdurrahman Al-Awf, at the Government House, Dutse
The collaboration aims at ntroducing an advanced farming techniques, technology transfer, and large-scale investment in date palm cultivation.
Speaking at the event, Abdulaziz Al-Awf emphasized his group’s commitment to modernizing Jigawa’s date palm sector.
He highlighted that the partnership would introduce state-of-the-art farming techniques to ensure year-round production rather than seasonal yields.
“Our collaboration will significantly enhance both the quality and quantity of dates produced in Jigawa, positioning the state as a major hub for date farming in Nigeria and Africa.
This initiative will also involve extensive farmer training, youth empowerment, and the introduction of high-yielding date palm varieties from Saudi Arabia,” he stated.
Namadi reaffirmed his administration’s full support for the initiative, stressing that it aligns with the state’s agricultural development agenda.
“We warmly welcome this partnership and appreciate your interest in Jigawa’s agricultural sector. Our government is fully committed to providing the necessary resources to ensure the successful implementation of this project.
“Your visit and willingness to invest in date farming, as well as improve our wheat production, complement our vision for agricultural transformation,” the governor stated.
He further noted that Jigawa is already Nigeria’s leading wheat producer and expressed his ambition to expand the state’s dominance in date palm cultivation.
“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. Your visit and willingness to partner with us on establishing date farms across the state, as well as improving our wheat production, align perfectly with our vision for agricultural development.”
He echoed Jigawa’s reputation as Nigeria’s leading wheat producer and stressed his vision of expanding the state’s dominance in date palm cultivation.
“Jigawa is already the leading producer of wheat in Nigeria, and we are determined to maintain that position. With your technical expertise and modern technology, we are confident that we can further strengthen our wheat production. Additionally, while we are already recognized as the top producer of dates in Nigeria, our goal is to move beyond meeting local demand and begin exporting to international markets.”
During the visit, the Saudi delegation, alongside representatives from Netay Agro-Tech, toured various locations across the state to assess existing date palm plantations.
Abubakar Musa Bamai, CEO of Netay Agro-Tech, highlighted the extensive groundwork already done, including soil analysis and consultations with research institutions. He announced that four highly sought-after date palm varieties—Mejdool (Meju), Barhi (Bari), Sukkari (Sukari), and Ajwa—have been identified as ideal for large-scale cultivation in Jigawa.
“We are excited about the potential here in Jigawa. With the government’s support, we plan to establish a model date plantation that will serve as a benchmark for future expansion. Advanced tissue culture techniques will also be integrated to ensure high-quality propagation and productivity,” he stated.
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