On March 26, 2024, the Governor of Jigawa State, Mallam Umar Namadi, welcomed the Executive Director of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Mrs. Nonye Ayeni, and her delegation to the government house in Dutse. During the working visit, Mrs. Ayeni briefed Governor Namadi on NEPC’s initiative to set up an Export Processing Center in the state, emphasizing President Tinubu’s dedication to fostering the non-oil economy and agriculture.

Mrs. Ayeni revealed NEPC’s strategy to boost production capacity, enhance services, educate farmers and stakeholders in the agricultural value chain, and supply seedlings and certifications. She also mentioned plans to upgrade processing facilities by inaugurating laboratories at the state’s hibiscus processing facility located in the Maigatari Export Processing Zone.

She praised the state for its significant accomplishments in farming hibiscus, sesame, and gum Arabic, among other crops, positioning it as a leading producer in these sectors.

Governor Namadi congratulated Mrs. Ayeni on her new role and assured her of the state’s commitment to effectively utilize NEPC grants for the development of the Maigatari Export Processing Zone. He highlighted Jigawa State’s achievements, including its self-sufficiency in wheat farming and its substantial contribution to Nigeria’s non-oil exports, particularly in the sesame and hibiscus sectors.

Following the meeting, the InvestJigawa team, led by Director-General Furera Isma Jumare, joined the NEPC delegation on a visit to the COMTTRAJIGAWA hibiscus processing facility at Maigatari Export Processing Zone. The visit provided an opportunity to inspect the facility and gain a deeper understanding of its operations and potential.