The federal government has announced plans to establish a large-scale cattle ranch in Niger state, in partnership with JBJ Brazil, the world’s largest cattle rancher.

The minister of livestock development, Idi Mukhtar, made the announcement during a visit to Gov. Umaru Bago of Niger in Minna on Monday, where he was accompanied by a team from JBJ Brazil.

Mr Mukhtar explained that the project was part of an agreement between the federal government and JBJ Brazil to enhance livestock production in Nigeria.

He highlighted that Niger state was selected due to its abundant resources, including ample water, and the state government’s commitment to allocating 1.2 million hectares of land for the 2.5 billion dollars livestock investment.

The minister revealed that the proposed ranch would span 100,000 hectares of land and house 100,000 bulls.

He noted that financial discussions regarding the project were still ongoing with the investors.

In his response, Mr Bago expressed confidence in the project’s success, emphasising the state’s comparative advantage over others.

Represented by his deputy, Yakubu Garba, Mr Bago assured that Niger was well-positioned to ensure the success of the federal government’s livestock development initiative.

Also speaking, the chairman of Niger Foods, Sammy Adigun, confirmed that Brazilian companies JBS and JBJ were investing in animal production and processing, with the federal government facilitating the project.

(NAN)