Gombe Abattoir Draws Export Interest from Qatar, Saudi Arabia

Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Morocco have expressed interest in livestock products from Gombe State’s ultramodern abattoir, which is under construction and expected to serve international markets.

The State Project Coordinator of the Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project, Professor Usman Bello Abubakar, disclosed this during an inspection of the facility. He said Qatar had shown particular interest in goat meat from indigenous Northern Nigerian breeds.

The abattoir is designed to process at least 500 cattle and 1,000 sheep and goats daily. It will operate under a halal system to meet the requirements of its target markets. Equipment installation is expected to begin soon.

The facility is part of the Gombe Agro Livestock Development Zone, which spans more than 200 hectares and includes livestock fattening centres, an international cattle market, feed markets and an inland dry port to support exports.

Meanwhile, the White Paper Implementation Committee called for the protection of grazing reserves and cattle routes. Its chairman, retired Assistant Inspector-General of Police Babaji Sunday, said reclaiming encroached grazing areas and improving livestock services could help reduce farmer-herder conflicts.