February 14, 2026
By Editor
Governor Malam Umar Namadi recently convened a strategic meeting with representatives from the Date Palm Foundation of Saudi Arabia, led by Professor Ahmad Al-Jabbar from King Fahad University.
In a press statement issued by the Governor’s spokesperson, Malam Hamisu Muhammed Gumel, it was reported that the meeting took place at the residence of the Saudi Arabian Consul General in Kano. Attendees included Rt. Hon. Haruna Aliyu Dangyatin, Speaker of the Jigawa State House of Assembly; Dr. Saifullahi Umar, Director-General of the Jigawa Agricultural Transformation Agency (JATA); and Dr. Sulaiman Rufa’i, Director-General of the Jigawa Research Institute, along with the Saudi Arabian Consul General.
Discussions centered on initiatives by the Jigawa State Government aimed at accelerating date palm production through advanced techniques such as molecular segregation and tissue culture to enhance seed quality and yields, leveraging Saudi expertise.
Governor Namadi expressed gratitude for the engagement with Saudi experts and acknowledged the strong and enduring relationship between Jigawa State and Saudi Arabia in education and agriculture. He noted that this marks the second collaboration with Saudi partners on the date palm plantation initiative.
The governor emphasized Jigawa State’s significant arable land for date palm cultivation, confirming its status as Nigeria’s leading date palm producer. He highlighted ongoing efforts to survey all date palm trees and plans to establish plantations in five locations across the state, underlining the importance of capacity building for farmers to adopt modern practices and improve yields.
“This initiative will undoubtedly boost productivity, increase farmers’ incomes, and enhance export potential,” he stated.
Governor Namadi added that the goal is to plant 10,000 date palm offshoots, encompassing both local and commercial varieties, alongside comprehensive training and capacity-building programs for local youth. Currently, 1,042 hectares are under cultivation, providing employment for 400 youths, with plans to expand participation to 1,000. Under the scheme, each participating youth will be allocated half a hectare to foster sustainable livelihoods and inclusive growth.
