Zamfara pushes for agricultural investments at Africa Investment Forum in Morocco
By: Zagazola Makama
Zamfara State is stepping up efforts to reposition itself as one of Nigeria’s leading agricultural investment hubs, with Governor Dauda Lawal making an ambitious pitch to global financiers at the Africa Investment Forum (AIF) Market Days 2025 in Rabat, Morocco.
The three-day forum, held from Nov. 26 to 28, brought together heads of government, development finance institutions, corporate executives and private investors to negotiate deals and accelerate project financing across the continent.
The event, led by the African Development Bank (AfDB) in partnership with six founding institutions, is regarded as one of Africa’s premier platforms for driving investments into critical sectors such as infrastructure, agriculture, technology, energy and industrial expansion.
For Zamfara, the gathering offered a strategic opportunity to attract fresh capital flows into agriculture an area Governor Lawal insists remains the state’s strongest comparative advantage.
During a series of high-level sessions, the governor joined panel discussions on enabling private-sector growth, scaling public-private partnerships, and mobilising domestic capital to finance Africa’s development priorities.
On the sidelines of the forum, Zamfara recorded a major breakthrough with the signing of a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the state government and the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MoFI).
The partnership places Zamfara among the key beneficiaries of the INTEGRANIUM Agricultural Transformation Initiative Nigeria’s flagship programme for large-scale, mechanised, technology-driven agriculture.
Under the agreement, Zamfara is expected to provide arable land, infrastructure and policy incentives, while MoFI will coordinate financing mobilisation, investor engagement and technical support for project structuring.
Suleiman Bala Idris, the spokesperson of the Governor say the collaboration is designed to catalyse agricultural transformation through mechanised farming, agro-processing, post-harvest systems and improved market access.
The initiative is expected to create jobs, enhance food security, strengthen value chains, and unlock inclusive economic growth for both Zamfara State and the wider North-West geopolitical zone.
At a roundtable with investors, Governor Lawal described Zamfara as an emerging agricultural hub with the potential to feed local and international markets.
He said the state’s expansive and fertile land gives it the capacity to cultivate a wide range of crops, adding that his administration is intensifying reforms to improve the enabling environment for investors.
“Agriculture is the way forward for Africa, Nigeria and Zamfara State in particular, due to the many opportunities available,” he said.
“In Zamfara State, our comparative advantage is agriculture. We grow all crops in the state; we are not limited to soybeans. We have the land, and it is fertile.”
The governor also told participants that the state is undergoing rapid transformation, citing key infrastructural projects such as the near-completion of the Zamfara International Cargo Airport and the construction of a five-star hotel as part of efforts to boost investor confidence.
He also highlighted extensive urban renewal projects aimed at improving the ease of doing business and creating a more attractive environment for international partnerships.
With insecurity previously affecting agricultural productivity in the region, the government says its ongoing security interventions combined with new economic partnerships are central to restoring Zamfara’s position as a major food producer.
For investors seeking entry into Nigeria’s agribusiness value chain, the state is projecting itself as a destination where land availability, government support and emerging infrastructure converge to create bankable opportunities.
Stakeholders at the AIF say the deals signed this year could shape a stronger investment pipeline for Africa in 2026 and beyond, especially in sectors that support food systems and climate resilience.
As Zamfara expands its search for global partnerships, officials express confidence that the MoU with MoFI will mark the beginning of a sustained phase of agricultural revitalisation powered by technology, capital and private-sector participation.
