Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum, has stepped up efforts to attract private sector investment to the state, unveiling incentives aimed at positioning Borno as the pharmaceutical and manufacturing hub of Nigeria’s Northeast.
Speaking during a high-level meeting with representatives of the international Jampur Group at the office of the Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Healthcare Value Chain (PVAC) in Abuja on Monday, Zulum assured investors of his administration’s commitment to creating an enabling environment for industrial growth.
The discussions focused on the group’s proposal to establish a Tom Brown production plant in Maiduguri to tackle child malnutrition and a pharmaceutical manufacturing facility to boost healthcare delivery and local drug production.
To facilitate the projects, the governor pledged government support through land allocation, investment incentives and policies designed to encourage industrial development.
“Borno State is ready to provide the necessary support for investors. We will make land available and offer every necessary incentive required to ensure the successful establishment of the proposed pharmaceutical manufacturing company and other related industrial projects,” Zulum said.
He described Borno as a strategic investment destination, noting that its location provides manufacturers with access to the entire Northeast and neighbouring African markets.
According to the governor, the state’s proximity to five international borders offers businesses access to millions of consumers across the sub-region, making it an ideal base for production and trade.
“Borno occupies a strategic position that gives investors access to the entire Northeast market as well as five neighbouring countries. Goods produced here have enormous market potential, making our state an attractive destination for investment,” he added.
Representatives of the Jampur Group expressed interest in partnering with the Borno State Government to establish the proposed facilities, saying the investments would enhance nutrition, strengthen healthcare delivery, create jobs and accelerate industrial development.
The meeting was attended by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate; the Director-General of the Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Healthcare Value Chain, Dr. Abdul Mukhtar; and the Country Manager of Jampur Group, Mohammad Asad Javeed.
Governor Zulum was accompanied by the Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Prof. Baba Malam Gana, and his Special Adviser on Monitoring and Evaluation, Engr. Baba Bukar Gujibawu.
The proposed investments align with the Federal Government’s healthcare sector reforms under the Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Healthcare Value Chain, which seeks to expand local pharmaceutical manufacturing, reduce dependence on imported medicines, create jobs and position Nigeria as a regional hub for healthcare products.
For Borno, the initiative is expected to reinforce Governor Zulum’s post-insurgency economic recovery agenda by attracting private capital, diversifying the state’s economy beyond humanitarian support, rebuilding its industrial base and restoring Maiduguri’s historic status as a major commercial centre in the Lake Chad region.
