The Jigawa State Government, under Governor Umar Namadi, is advancing federal livestock reforms at the subnational level through strategic partnerships anchored on the state’s Agricultural Transformation Policy, with a major push into large-scale alfalfa production for domestic use and export.
A key milestone in this drive is a Memorandum of Understanding between the Jigawa State Government and El-Meena Farms Ltd, which launched the Jigawa Alfalfa Value Chain Development Initiative.
The project is designed to scale from a 1,000-hectare pilot to a 100,000-hectare mega-estate, targeting annual output of about 2.0 million metric tonnes of alfalfa and the creation of more than 100,000 jobs. The initiative positions Jigawa as a future hub for livestock feed production and agro-exports in Nigeria and West Africa.
To strengthen implementation with global best practices, Governor Namadi recently led a high-level public and private sector delegation to Córdoba Province, Argentina, one of the world’s leading centres for alfalfa production. Argentina is the second-largest global producer of alfalfa, with Córdoba as its largest production hub, supported by advanced research, mechanisation, smart irrigation and agro-industrial systems.
The Nigerian delegation comprised officials of the Jigawa State Government, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), El-Meena Farms Ltd, Jigawa El-Meena Farms (the special purpose vehicle), Nigeria Export-Import Bank (NEXIM), Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI), Jaiz Bank, Saudi Arabia’s Alkhorayef Group and Cape Mano Agriculture.
During the visit, the team toured major forage processing and animal nutrition facilities, including Megafardos del Norte, Nafosa, Pellfood and Biofarma S.A., gaining first-hand insight into large-scale alfalfa production, feed processing technologies, livestock nutrition systems and export logistics.
However, the mission also included a visit to the Governor of Córdoba Province, culminating in the signing of an additional MoU to deepen cooperation in livestock development, sustainable alfalfa production, irrigation innovation, applied research and agro-industrial value chains.
The Argentina engagement, facilitated by NITDA under its Regional Digital Innovation and Investment Programme, highlights the role of technology, data-driven agriculture and international partnerships in unlocking regional competitiveness. Insights from NITDA and the MIT Regional Entrepreneurship Acceleration Programme further reinforce alfalfa’s potential to improve livestock productivity, reduce feed shortages, ease farmer–herder tensions and support export-oriented livestock systems.
Under the Jigawa–El-Meena agreement signed in December 2025, the project is expected to generate annual export revenues estimated at between $440 million and $540 million. Alkhorayef Group serves as the technical partner for irrigation infrastructure, while financing is structured around the NEXIM Bank–Saudi EXIM Bank export window. An initial $5 million investment has been earmarked for advanced centre-pivot irrigation systems for the pilot phase.
Speaking at the signing ceremony in Dutse, Governor Namadi described the initiative as a cornerstone of his administration’s economic agenda, noting that it creates a strategic economic bridge between Nigeria and the Middle East in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
