Nigeria targets N300 billion annually through date palm exportation

The National Agency for the Great Green Wall (NAGGW) says it is beginning the distribution of five million date palm seedlings to empower Nigerians and generate over N300 billion for the country annually through exportation. The agency said it is generating the five million date palm seedlings from Jigawa State.

Director General of the Agency, Saleh Abubakar, stated this when he paid a courtesy call on the Emir of Dutse, Hamim Muhammad-Sanusi at his Palace in Dutse on Thursday.

Mr Abubakar said the impact of the initiative of the date palm tree seedlings will be witnessed within three years, and it will empower millions of Nigerians.

“Each person will be given 20 date palm seedlings with an estimated annual turn of over N12 million to each beneficiary.

“The initiative will also contribute N300 billion to the Nation’s economy annually”, Mr Abubakar said.

The official explained that he led the Agency’s delegation to Jigawa to inspect the date seedling nurseries of one of their partners, Bashir Aminu before finally distributing them to the various states.

Mr Abubakar said that Dutse, the Jigawa State capital, is popular for date production. According to him, it was estimated that the five million date seedlings could be sourced from the state.

Mr Aminu, who holds the traditional title of ‘Dan Amar of Dutse,’ said the state has over 170 species of date palm, out of which the Great Green Wall is dispersing to the people across 11 states of the country.

Mr Aminu said he is partnering with the NAGGW to see that after the distribution, to ensure that the beneficiaries handle it the way it should be.

“It’s not going to be a business as usual; the distribution must benefit all the value chains and contribute to the national economic development”, Mr Aminu said.

In his remarks, the Emir of Dutse, Mr Muhammad-Sanusi, commended the Agency for exploring the potentials of Jigawa state.

He called on other relevant agencies in the country to come to Jigawa State for proper utilisation of resources available to promote agriculture and the country’s economy at large.