Saudi Arabia Seals $100 Million Livestock Deal with Nigeria, Opening New Frontier for Exports - LivestockTrend

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Thursday, 21 August 2025

Saudi Arabia Seals $100 Million Livestock Deal with Nigeria, Opening New Frontier for Exports

Saudi Arabia has approved a landmark $100 million livestock offtake agreement with Nigeria, signaling a bold step in the country’s drive to diversify its economy beyond oil. Announced by Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago at the FirstBank Agric and Export Expo 2025, the deal places Nigeria firmly on the path to becoming a major supplier of protein to the Middle East.


Source: dailystruggle


The arrangement begins with a $10 million first tranche, backed by the Saudi Export and Import Bank and facilitated by Nigeria’s own NEXIM Bank. For Governor Bago, the deal is more than a trade contract—it represents an entry point into a $2.5 billion annual market created by disruptions in the Sahel and Sudan, which have left the Gulf states searching for stable livestock suppliers. He underscored that every part of the animal—from meat to skin, hooves, and blood—holds value, and Nigeria is determined to build the full processing ecosystem to maximize returns.

Central to the plan is a strategic alliance between Niger and Lagos States. With Lagos serving as Nigeria’s largest consumer hub and logistics gateway, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu pledged strong support for the initiative. Niger will dedicate 100,000 hectares of farmland branded as “Lagos Farm” to produce rice, yams, beans, and livestock, while Lagos will modernize logistics with LNG-powered cold-chain trucks to end the long-standing practice of transporting live animals. Processed and packaged meat, Bago emphasized, will soon be available directly in supermarkets—streamlined, hygienic, and export-ready.

The shift marks a new chapter in Nigeria’s non-oil export strategy. Governor Bago warned against exporting raw commodities, stressing that true wealth lies in value addition. He called on financial institutions to provide affordable credit to farmers, pointing out that current high interest rates are stifling agricultural growth. FirstBank CEO Olusegun Alebiosu reinforced this message, declaring agriculture the heart of Nigeria’s new development agenda and pledging the bank’s continued commitment to supporting non-oil exports.

Governor Sanwo-Olu added that Lagos is investing heavily in ports, digital trade systems, and logistics corridors to make Nigeria a competitive player in global markets. With vast arable land in Niger and world-class infrastructure in Lagos, both leaders agree that Nigeria now has the resources and vision to transform agriculture into a leading force in the nation’s economy.

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