Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, has been to the Headquarters of Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa, (BADEA), in Khartoum, Sudan, following which partnership was potentially reached for the bank and Borno to partner on exporting wheat and gum arabic produced by farmers in Borno.
Zulum was received by the bank’s Director-General, Sidi Ould Tah, and other top executives, In a statement by the Governor’s spokesman, Isa Gusau said, Zulum arrived in the Sudanese capital at the weekend.
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He was accompanied by Nigeria’s former Minister of State for Agriculture, Bukar Tijjani, a Borno indigene, who is an expert on international agricultural development, the Chairman of Borno’s Mega Farms Project, Musa Inuwa Kubo, as well as the governor’s Adviser on Sustainable Development, Partnerships and Humanitarian Response, Dr Mairo Mandara.
Borno is one of Nigeria’s leading producers of wheat and gum arabic, while the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA) was established by 18 Arab countries (the League of Arab States) in 1973 and began operations in 1975, to strengthen economic, financial and technical cooperation between Arab countries and African regions, through financing opportunities, for economic development in African countries.
Governor Zulum at the Bank, highlighted with video documentary produced in the Arabic language, the challenges Borno has severely faced as a result of terrorism attacks on communities, as well as the ongoing rebuilding and economic recovery efforts, with huge opportunities in agriculture, given the state’s vast and fertile land resources for irrigation and rain-fed agriculture.
The governor’s team proved Borno’s potential as a major producer of wheat and gum arabic, among other food and cash crops, seeking partnership for increased value chain and export, to tap into the Arab Organization for Agricultural Development, in the bank’s operational structure.
The bank’s team, which had made overview presentations on Nigeria’s wheat, gum arabic and date palm productions, obliged Governor Zulum’s request with discussions, to go towards identifying specifics for both parties and implementing them.
(Editor: Ifeanyi Mark)
