It all started with what a Hausa native speaker called Duriyya, meaning a joint of caravans. But now Maigatari cattle market has earned international recognition as a cattle market of repute. It is said that the market was founded by some caravans from Niger Republic as far back as 1929.
The story goes thus: caravans from Niger Republic used to spend some days in Maigatari on their long journey to Kano, a commercial city even in those days. Whenever they took their cattle, potash and raffia to the joint, some people from Maigatari and the neighbouring villages would patronize them by buying some of the items.
Gradually, other people from various localities knew about the trading activities taking place at the joint, and they, too, began to keep a date with the unfolding market. As result, Maigatari became a small market patronized by people from both Nigeria and Niger Republic.
It is said that when the market began to attract more people, the authorities, in 1991, decided to relocate it to its present location, from Maigatari town where it started as Duriyya. The development, Sunday Trust gathered, has yielded a positive result by boosting business activities.
Maigatari international cattle market covers an area of about two kilometres. Various types of business transactions take place here every Thursday. Apart from the demarcated area serving as the main market, the entire Maigatari town has been turned into a market place, as business activities could be seen taking place almost everywhere in the town.
Sunday Trust observed that the uniqueness of Maigatari international market is found in the fact that every type of business has its section. For instance, while in the main town, sellers of household items, clothing materials, food items and other related items were making their brisk businesses, dealers of all types of animals were at the new site.
