The Jigawa government has established a fumigation chamber and modern cleaning and processing facility for hibiscus flowers to boost the export of the product, an official said on Wednesday.

Furera Isma-Jumare, the director-general of Jigawa Investment Promotion Agency, said the chamber and processing facility was established at the Maigatari Export Processing Zone in partnership with Comttraex Nigeria Ltd.

She disclosed this in Dutse during a seminar on Value Addition for Export, organised by the agency for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Jigawa.

Ms Isma-Jumare said the chamber would commence operation in a few weeks and was established to address the rejection of hibiscus exports from the EPZ.

She added that the agency and the firm would transform the hibiscus value chain and make the state a hub for producing and processing the commodity in Nigeria.

“This initiative is expected to unlock the industry’s full potential, driving economic growth and creating opportunities for local farmers and sustainable development in the region and boost exportation of the product,” said Ms Isma-Jumare.

She added that the state government would support initiatives to make the state the leader in hibiscus production and dominant in processing raw materials for export.

At the seminar, Ms Isma-Jumare said it was organised to prompt MSMEs to lead the state’s economy. She said the agency would encourage the MSMEs to ramp up value addition to their products to benefit from the export market.

“Our state is endowed with abundant resources, and it is time we leverage these resources to their fullest potential. In September this year, according to newspaper reports, the Nigeria Shippers Council stated that 75 per cent of exported farm produce in Nigeria is from the North-West zone.

“This underscores the pivotal role that our MSMEs can play in this space and their potential impact on the global market. I believe the presentations and discussions will provide valuable insights and strategies for our MSMEs to enhance their production processes and elevate the quality of their goods and services,” Ms Isma-Jumare added.

Therefore, she urged the participants to collaborate with the agency to ensure the export of their products not as raw materials but as finished goods.

(NAN)