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Governor Dauda Lawal Join VP Shettima’s Delegation to Benin Republic, Seeks Industrial Model to Boost Zamfara’s Agric Zones

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Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal has described the Glo-Djigbé Industrial Zone (GDIZ) as a practical blueprint for transforming Zamfara state’s agricultural sector, as he joined Vice President of Nigeria, Senator Kashim Shettima and five other governors on a working visit to the Benin Republic industrial hub on Friday.

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The delegation toured the 1,640-hectare public-private industrial platform, inspecting integrated textile and agro-processing facilities where locally produced cotton is converted into yarn, fabric and finished garments while cashew and soybean are processed for domestic and export markets. GDIZ, developed by the Beninese government and ARISE Integrated Industrial Platforms, has created more than 25,000 jobs since production began in 2021.

For Governor Lawal, who presides over an agrarian state with vast arable land and a strong comparative advantage in crop production, the visit presented an opportunity to draw direct lessons for Zamfara’s agricultural transformation agenda.

“Zamfara holds a strong comparative advantage in agriculture. We grow all crops in the state, we are not limited to soybeans. We have the land and it is fertile,” Governor Lawal had told global investors at the Africa Investment Forum in Morocco last November, where he signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI) to drive large-scale agricultural transformation under the INTEGRANIUM Initiative.

The GDIZ visit is aimed at strengthening the implementation of Nigeria’s Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones Programme, drawing practical lessons from Benin’s approach to agricultural value addition, industrial infrastructure, investment mobilisation and export-oriented production. Particular attention was given to the textile park’s integrated production system covering cotton spinning, weaving, fabric processing and garment manufacturing. Governor Lawal believes that Zamfara State can benefit from the $370 billion worth of global cotton valuation by ensuring Zamfara grows more cotton and can also lead the charge by reviving moribund textile manufacturing hubs and value chain which could generate millions of jobs, expand non-oil exports and stimulate economic activities.

Governor Lawal’s participation in the delegation aligns with Zamfara’s recently launched 10-year Development Plan (2025–2034), which envisions the state becoming “a benchmark for transformative economic growth, not merely for Nigeria, but the continent of Africa”. The plan prioritises maximising Zamfara’s agricultural and natural resource strengths through partnerships, mechanised farming, agro-processing and value chains to create jobs, improve food security and reduce poverty-driven insecurity.

Governor Lawal was also in company of other state Governors like; Hope Uzodimma (Imo), Caleb Mutfwang (Plateau), AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq (Kwara), Dikko Radda (Katsina), and Umar Namadi (Jigawa). The visit is expected to inform the development of garment-training facilities and dedicated processing infrastructure near agricultural production communities across Nigeria.

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Governor Dauda Lawal woos investors, highlights Zamfara’s economic opportunities at CEO Forum

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Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal, has called for stronger collaboration between government, businesses and investors to unlock private capital and drive inclusive economic growth in the state.

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Lawal made the call while delivering a Special Policy Address at the 2026 CEO Forum organised by the Global Compact Network Nigeria in Lagos.

The forum, held under the theme “Financing a Dignified Future: Aligning Business Action, Policy and Capital,” brought together chief executives, senior government officials, industry leaders, diplomats, trade commissioners and international development partners.

Participants were drawn from key sectors of the economy, including oil and gas, energy, manufacturing, construction and infrastructure.

The governor spoke on the growing competition among states for increasingly selective private capital and the factors that could transform an economic opportunity into an investable proposition.

He explained how his administration was working to bridge the gap between available economic opportunities and investment, with emphasis on building investor confidence while ensuring that investments deliver meaningful outcomes for the people of Zamfara.

According to him, attracting investment requires more than identifying economic opportunities, but also creating the conditions, policies and partnerships capable of giving investors confidence to commit capital.

The forum provided a platform for business leaders, government officials and investors to examine ways of aligning business strategies, public policies and capital deployment to unlock productive investment.

Discussions also focused on identifying businesses, sectors and projects with strong potential but facing difficulties in accessing financing, as well as measures to make such opportunities more attractive to investors.

The organisers also introduced the concept of the “Dignity Dividend,” examining how investment-led growth could translate into better jobs, stronger businesses, increased productivity, local value creation and broader economic participation.

Another key component of the forum was the identification of actionable commitments and partnerships that participating institutions could advance over the next six to 12 months.

Notable speakers at the event included chief executives of First Bank Group, Access Bank, Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc, Nigeria Economic Summit Group, Nigerian Exchange Group, Chellarams Plc, SecureID Group and Greenwich Merchant Bank Plc, among others.

The organisers said the session would culminate in a live showcase of the Business Value and Sustainability Platform (BVSP), described as a standing coalition of business, capital and policy actors designed to sustain the dialogue.

The platform is also expected to contribute to shaping Nigeria’s private-sector engagement during the United Nations General Assembly High-Level Week.

The governor’s participation in the forum comes as Zamfara seeks to strengthen its economic base, attract productive investment and create opportunities that can support sustainable livelihoods and wider participation in the state’s economy.

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Fuel subsidy debate: Between economic reform and political expediency

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Atiku petrol subsidy plans have reignited Nigeria’s 2027 debate as the ADC candidate promises relief while the Presidency demands clarity

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Lawal Strengthens Zamfara Judiciary With ₦600m Support

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The governor distributed official vehicles to judicial officers and said about 90 per cent of court rehabilitation projects across the state had been completed

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