Gombe to Become Regional Agro-Livestock Hub – Gov Yahaya

News in brief:

-Gombe State targets regional leadership in agriculture and livestock development.

-Its strategy aligns with the Renewed Hope National Development Plan and focuses on inclusive growth.

Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, has reaffirmed his administration’s plan to position the state as a regional agro-livestock hub, declaring that agriculture and livestock development remain the central pillars of its long-term economic strategy.

Speaking at the two-day National Economic Council (NEC) Conference, held at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, themed Delivering Inclusive Growth and Sustainable National Development, Yahaya said Gombe’s growth model aligns with Nigeria’s Renewed Hope National Development Plan (2026–2030).

From an agricultural standpoint, the governor framed livestock modernisation, value-chain formalisation and productivity enhancement as critical levers for job creation, food security and rural income expansion.

Livestock Reform as Growth Anchor

Yahaya noted that Gombe has prioritised investments across agriculture, livestock development, rural infrastructure and human capital to stimulate inclusive growth. He emphasised that subnational governments must translate national blueprints into tangible improvements in farm output, herd productivity, and agribusiness competitiveness.

Central to this ambition, he said, is the transformation of the livestock subsector from traditional, low-yield systems into structured, technology-enabled production models.

The governor referenced the state’s recently signed livestock innovation agreement with New Zealand-based Livestock Innovation Corporation (LIC) as evidence that the strategy is already underway.

New Zealand Partnership Strengthens Technical Backbone

Under the agreement, Gombe is collaborating with LIC on digital livestock management systems, climate-responsive production models and genetic improvement programmes.

The partnership also facilitates joint research with Gombe State University in animal genetics and biotechnology, including assessment of New Zealand dairy and beef genetic materials for adaptability within local production systems.

From a production economics perspective, such interventions are expected to improve calving rates, milk yield, feed conversion efficiency and herd health management, key indicators in commercial livestock viability.

Industry analysts say the LIC collaboration strengthens Gombe’s capacity to integrate data-driven herd management and structured breeding programmes into its livestock ecosystem, a critical requirement for scaling output sustainably.

Aligning with Federal Livestock Restructuring

Yahaya added that the state’s livestock transformation drive complements federal reforms under the Ministry of Livestock Development, particularly efforts to formalise value chains, standardise transportation and deploy digital tracking systems.

Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, who witnessed the signing of the New Zealand agreement, described the collaboration as consistent with the administration’s broader push for structured investment, environmental sustainability and measurable economic outcomes in the sector.

The federal government is also developing a national digital livestock tracking platform and mapping abattoirs across the country to improve traceability, hygiene standards and regulatory oversight, reforms that could further support states like Gombe seeking to commercialise livestock production.

Subnational Role in National Food Systems

At the NEC conference, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu reiterated that improved revenue flows to states, infrastructure expansion and targeted social investments remain central to national development efforts.

Within that framework, Yahaya argued that states must leverage their comparative advantages. For Gombe, he said, the advantage lies in agriculture and livestock, supported by deliberate policy reforms, private-sector partnerships and international technical cooperation.

If sustained, the governor maintained, Gombe’s agro-livestock hub strategy could position the state as a regional centre for genetic improvement, livestock data management and climate-smart animal production systems in North-East Nigeria and beyond.