Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State has invited investors, business leaders, and successful indigenes to capitalize on the state’s rich mineral, agricultural, and livestock assets to stimulate economic expansion and generate employment.
The governor said the state had enormous economic potential that remained largely untapped, particularly in solid minerals, livestock production and sesame processing, urging private investors to partner with the government to harness the opportunities.
Buni made the call at the Yobe Development and Partnership Roundtable held at Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja, on November 8, 2026.
Represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr Mohammed Goje, the governor said Yobe was endowed with commercial deposits of limestone, gypsum, gold, trona, kaolin, diatomite and bentonite, among other minerals.
He disclosed that some local and international investors had already indicated interest in the state’s mineral sector, adding that the establishment of the Yobe State Mining Development Company was part of efforts to attract investment and ensure the proper development of the resources.
Buni also identified livestock as another major area of investment, describing Yobe as one of Nigeria’s leading livestock-producing states.
He challenged livestock farmers and investors to move beyond traditional animal production and explore opportunities in meat and dairy processing.
“I challenge us to rise to the occasion and ensure that in every Nigerian home, there is meat and dairy from Yobe State,” he said.
On agriculture, the governor announced plans to establish four sesame processing plants in Damaturu, Potiskum, Nguru and Machina to improve the quality of locally produced sesame and enable farmers to benefit from the international market.
He said farmers had been losing substantial value because merchants from Kano travelled to rural communities to buy sesame farms before harvest at very low prices.
Buni said the government had constructed roads to rural communities to ease transportation and improve farmers’ access to markets.
He further announced the establishment of the Yobe Global Engagement and Partnerships Desk in the Office of the Secretary to the State Government to coordinate partnerships with indigenes living in other parts of Nigeria and abroad.
According to him, the platform would also facilitate engagement with institutions and organisations willing to support the state’s development.
The governor said collaboration was particularly needed in technical knowledge, institutional connections, human capital development, enterprise development and investment financing.
He urged professionals to support policy development, research and service delivery, while calling for partnerships that would provide mentorship, apprenticeships and employment opportunities for young people and women.
Buni said the state government was committed to creating an enabling environment for investors, adding that development proposals must be credible, affordable and aligned with the state’s priorities.
Reflecting on the state’s recovery from insurgency, he said Yobe now enjoyed relative peace across its 17 local government areas, allowing farmers to return to their farmlands and businesses to operate.
He said his administration had distributed tractors, ploughs, fertilisers, improved seeds and other agricultural inputs free of charge to farmers across the 178 political wards.
On education, Buni said the government had reconstructed 301 schools, built 929 classrooms, rehabilitated 748 others and established 15 mega and model schools.
He added that more than 9,000 teachers had been recruited, over 12,000 trained and more than 50,000 students supported with scholarships.
He also disclosed that over 400 students had been sponsored to universities in India to study specialised courses in medicine and engineering, with about 200 already employed by the state government.
In healthcare, the governor said more than 15,000 workers had been employed, while free dialysis services for kidney patients and medical care for pregnant women and children under five had been sustained.
Earlier, Goje said the roundtable was intended to establish a stronger relationship between the state government and its accomplished indigenes, noting that their professional experience, institutional connections and resources could contribute significantly to development.
He urged participants to see themselves as stakeholders in the Yobe project and consider how their achievements outside the state could create opportunities for their communities.
Buni assured participants that partnerships initiated through the engagement would be sustained by the next administration under the principle of continuity, consolidation and innovation.
What You Should Know
Yobe State is actively seeking private sector partnerships to transform its untapped resources into wealth and employment opportunities for local residents.
- Positive Impact: Increased investment in solid minerals, livestock processing, and sesame farming can create thousands of jobs, improve local incomes, and boost the state’s overall economy.
- Potential Concerns: Realizing these goals depends heavily on maintaining regional peace, attracting genuine investors, and successfully executing planned agricultural and mining projects without administrative bottlenecks.
