Geography
Jigawa State is one of the thirty-six states that constitute the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Situated in the north-western geopolitical zone of the country, it is bordered by Kano and Katsina states to the west, Bauchi state to the east and Yobe state to the north-east. To the north, Jigawa State shares an international border with the Republic of the Niger, thus providing unique opportunities for international trade.
Demography
Jigawa State has an estimated population of 5,828,163 according to 2016 estimates, and ranks 8th in population among Nigerian states. More than 49% of the population fall between the ages of 15 – 59 years.
Economy
Jigawa state is the 10th largest non-oil and gas economy in Nigeria, with an estimated Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of nearly N800 billion. Agriculture remains the dominant economic activity contributing the bulk of GDP and engaging more than 80% of the population both directly and indirectly.
Jigawa has a predominantly informal domestic trade sector, consisting of thousands of subsistence enterprises. In addition to the hundreds of regular markets spread across towns and villages, Jigawa has a number of specialized markets – at Sara, Gujungu, Maigatari, Kupsa and Hadejia, dealing in large scale agricultural commodities and livestock merchandising, with Maigatari being one of the largest livestock markets in West Africa.
