Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum, has stepped up efforts to attract private sector investment, pledging incentives and government support to position the state as a pharmaceutical and manufacturing hub for Nigeria’s Northeast.
During a high-level meeting on Monday at the office of the Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Healthcare Value Chain (PVAC) in Abuja, Zulum met with representatives of the Jampur Group, an international conglomerate with interests in shipping, power, mining and trade, to discuss plans for major industrial investments in Borno.
The proposed projects include the establishment of a Tom Brown production plant in Maiduguri to tackle child malnutrition and a pharmaceutical manufacturing facility to boost healthcare delivery and expand local drug production.
Governor Zulum assured the investors of his administration’s full support, promising land allocation, investment incentives and a business-friendly environment to ensure the projects succeed.
“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.
The governor also highlighted Borno’s strategic location, describing it as a gateway to the Northeast and neighbouring African markets.
According to him, the state’s proximity to five international borders provides manufacturers with access to millions of potential consumers across the sub-region, making Borno an attractive destination for industrial investment.
“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 facilities, noting that the investments would improve nutrition, strengthen healthcare delivery, create jobs and drive 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 investment drive supports the Federal Government’s healthcare reforms under the Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Healthcare Value Chain, which aims 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 proposed investments also form part of Governor Zulum’s post-insurgency economic recovery agenda, focused on rebuilding infrastructure, attracting private investment, diversifying the state’s economy and restoring Maiduguri’s role as a major commercial centre in the Lake Chad region.
