December 11, (THEWILL) – Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, has expressed his administration’s readiness to partner with Brazilian livestock giant, JBS, as part of efforts to boost the state’s agro-industrial potential.
JBS is the world’s largest protein producer and the second-largest food company and it is renowned for processing beef, pork, lamb, chicken, and value-added foods.
Abiodun made this known while receiving a delegation comprising the Managing Director of the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission, Aisha Rimi, JBS Director of International Operations, Fabio Maia, and Osorio Dal Bello of the poultry and swine department.
The meeting took place at the Governor’s Office in Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.
Highlighting Ogun State’s business-friendly ecosystem, Abiodun assured JBS of a conducive environment to establish operations.
“You cannot find a better state in Nigeria to partner with. JBS’s vast experience and dominance in the global protein market align with our vision for agro-industrial growth. Ogun is home to Nestlé, Olam, Cadbury, and other blue-chip companies with their manufacturing headquarters here,” he said.
The governor added that Ogun had designated a livestock production zone and had positioned itself as Nigeria’s leading agro-processing hub.
“We are the reference point for agro-processing zones in Nigeria. Out of the six zones established by the Federal Government, Ogun leads in development. We have co-located a special agro-airport to facilitate the export of perishable goods processed in the zone,” he explained.
Abiodun cited statistics that Lagos State slaughters 10,000 to 15,000 cattle daily, many of which originate from Ogun, underscoring the state’s livestock production potential.
In a related development, the governor announced a $10 million partnership deal with a Moroccan firm for the export of palm oil by-products.
“We recently engaged with investors in Morocco, who expressed interest in a palm oil by-product we usually discard. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) will be signed in the coming weeks to kickstart exports valued at $10 million,” he disclosed.
JBS’s Director of International Expansion, Fabio Maia, lauded Ogun’s business environment, citing the rapid growth of industries along the Abeokuta-Sagamu corridor.
He revealed JBS’s plans to invest $2.5 billion in Nigeria, including the establishment of three chicken plants, two cattle plants, and one swine processing facility.
Maia’s visit follows the Federal Government’s recent MoU with JBS on livestock production during President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s trip to Brazil.
The NIPC Managing Director, Aisha Rimi, confirmed that the JBS team is conducting feasibility studies and project development planning as part of the investment drive.
Abiodun also hinted at upcoming initiatives, including the launch of a timber processing zone and the operationalisation of Ogun’s inland port to further accelerate industrial growth in the state.
