- Governor Muhammadu Yahaya welcomed COVEC’s plan to build an agricultural park and invest in agro-processing, livestock, renewable energy, and industrial development.
- Yahaya highlighted Gombe’s strategic location, infrastructure, and mineral resources, while COVEC pledged a follow-up visit to launch full-scale investments.
Governor Muhammadu Yahaya of Gombe State has welcomed a delegation of Chinese investors from the China Overseas Engineering Group Company (COVEC), who expressed interest in investing in agriculture, energy, and industrial development across the state.
According to a statement signed by Ismaila Misilli, Director-General, Press Affairs, Government House, Gombe, officials from the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC) attended the meeting at the Gombe Governor’s Lodge in Abuja.
COVEC outlined plans to establish an integrated agricultural park in Gombe. The project will feature large-scale mechanisation, agro-processing, livestock development, renewable energy, and export-oriented value chains, backed by advanced Chinese technologies and infrastructure models to drive rural transformation.
Governor Yahaya assured the delegation of Gombe’s readiness to host investments, citing its strategic location, investor-friendly policies, and natural resource base. “Gombe is a viable destination for investment, particularly in agriculture, commerce, and enterprise. We are ready to receive investors and provide all necessary incentives,” he said.
He highlighted key infrastructure supporting investment, including the 1,000-hectare Muhammadu Buhari Industrial Park near Dadinkowa Dam, which hosts a 40-megawatt hydroelectric plant. He also pointed to the Wawa-Zange Grazing Reserve, the livestock development zone, and robust irrigation infrastructure anchored by Dadinkowa, Balanga, and Cham dams. Yahaya noted that Balanga Dam alone can irrigate over 11,000 hectares of farmland, making it ideal for commercial agriculture.
The governor also promoted Gombe’s solid mineral deposits, including limestone and uranium, as viable cement manufacturing and mineral processing opportunities. “We are fully prepared to partner with serious investors to harness our God-given resources for the benefit of our people and our economy,” he added.
COVEC’s delegation described the meeting as strategic, providing a clear understanding of Gombe’s agricultural and industrial potential. The team pledged to conduct a follow-up visit to the state to prepare for full-scale operations.
Abubakar Yarima, Director of Strategic Services at the NIPC, said projects of this scale could attract significant foreign direct investment, create thousands of jobs, and link smallholder farmers to wider agro-industrial value chains. “The central location and enabling policies of Gombe make it a natural hub for agro-industrial growth,” he said.