Jigawa to create 60,000 jobs from investment drive

Jigawa state government has said it is targeting to create 60, 000 jobs in the state with the InvestJigawa programme.

Deputy Governor of Jigawa, Umar Namadi, during the Pro-Jigawa: The InvestJigawa Roundtable, an event organized in Abuja to attract investors, said over 57 companies have agreed to key into the programme out of which 17 has been established in the state.

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Namadi further said the state has initiated investment-friendly policies, reasons for its position as second in Nigeria in the World Bank’s latest Ease of Doing Business Report.

“The round table is a good institution to get their feedback on what we need to improve. The political will of the government during this period has led to the realization of 57 investment with a potential of 60,000 jobs and out of this 57 about 17 has been actualized and are worth 1.2 million dollars,” he said.

Earlier, the Director General of InvestJigawa, Furera Isma Jumare, said investors would benefit from free land and tax holiday when they tap into farming, renewable energy and mining in the state.

She noted that with the state a top producer and exporter of hibiscus and sesame in Nigeria, investors would reap great investments as the government is ready to facilitate ease of doing business.

Furera said the Gagara Industrial Park located 100 kilometres from Kano state, would attract micro, medium and large-scale industries to serve businesses in northern Nigeria and sub-Saharan Africa.

Vice President of OLAM Group, Reji George, said the company has integrated into tomato farming in the state and engaged 2000 farmers.

“We started the pilot project last year and the yields were extremely good. We have been allocated a large piece of land and we are getting into full commercial farming.”