President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved N120 billion for the establishment of an integrated Agro-Livestock Development Zone in Gombe State, marking a major step in the federal government’s efforts to enhance food security, expand job creation, and drive economic growth under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Muktar Maiha, disclosed the approval at the groundbreaking ceremony for the 184-hectare project, praising Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya for his leadership and alignment with the administration’s Livestock Transformation Agenda.
The zone will feature an ultramodern abattoir, an international cattle market, a tannery, leather processing facilities, and a dry inland port. Designed for large-scale operations, the facility is projected to process 500 bulls, 1,000 small ruminants, and 3,000 poultry birds daily—totaling more than 1.6 million animals annually.
Minister Maiha described the initiative as a strategic investment in Nigeria’s livestock value chain, with national implications for agricultural modernization.
Governor Yahaya called the project a “historic turning point” for the state’s agro-economy. He confirmed that N60 billion of the federal allocation has been accessed to commence infrastructure development. The governor emphasized that over 80% of Gombe’s population is engaged in agriculture and livestock, and the initiative aims to restore the state’s traditional role as a grain and livestock trade hub.
In a complementary effort, the state unveiled a N50 billion canalization project to divert water from River Gongola to the Wawa-Zange Grazing Reserve. The project is expected to directly benefit over one million pastoralists and impact more than five million people across the region.
Ongoing livestock sector reforms in the state include mass vaccination drives, the establishment of milk cooperatives, the installation of over 70 solar-powered boreholes, and upgrades to veterinary infrastructure.
The N7.5 billion abattoir contract has been awarded to Lubell Nigeria Limited, with a nine-month completion target.
National President of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Alhaji Baba Othman Ngelzarma, commended Gombe’s inclusive agricultural policies, particularly in managing herder-farmer relations through conflict resolution and revitalized grazing reserves.
Commissioner for Agriculture and Animal Husbandry, Barnabas Malle, reaffirmed the Yahaya administration’s commitment to agricultural transformation, noting consistent support for sector-wide reforms.
The Agro-Livestock Development Project is expected to spur industrial growth, enhance food processing capacity, and create thousands of jobs across agricultural and livestock value chains in Gombe and beyond.