By Matthew Denis
The Chief Operating Officer of Afro, Asia Group of Companies, Dr. Mustapha Sammy Yaacob has disclosed plans to build an international livestock market in Ilorin, Kwara State.
He added that the aim is to make the state capital a livestock hub in West Africa.
He made the disclosure on Wednesday during an interview with Pilot Business at the Ilorin International Airport.
He said, “We discovered that 60 percent of what people are buying in Malaysia is produced locally in Nigeria.
“We want to make Ilorin the hub of Africa in terms of agriculture, international school and a branch of Malaysia Allah hub that is bigger than shoprite in Ilorin.
“Our visit specifically is to build an international livestock market in Ilorin. We want to be supplying cattle from Niger Republic to Ilorin, so that we can have the biggest livestock hub not just for Nigeria alone but for the whole of West Africa.”
He further said that the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu Gambari has assured them of his support for the multi-million naira project.
Yaacob noted that the project would assist customers from Lagos, Oyo, Kogi, Osun among others states, saying buyers won’t need to go to Niger Republic for livestock again but access them in Ilorin here.
“Apart from that when we start the livestock market, Malaysia will also like to get its livestock from Ilorin. This is the first project that we want to embark on here as other gigantic businesses will come onboard with time, ” he added.
According to him, work will commence on construction of the market as soon as all arrangements have been concretized.
The COO noted that the existence of Import and Export bank of Malaysia in Nigeria is an added advantage.
” This livestock market will also ensure employment for the teeming unemployed youths in the state and country at large,” he stated.
He explained that the company is into trading, manufacturing, marketing, distributing, agriculture and farming, export and import, estate investment among others.
Similarly, the Chief Executive Officer of Havana Murni SDN, Malaysia, Dr. Datuk Rozaidi Othman added that there are lot of opportunities to explore in Nigeria.
He appreciated the Emir for his readiness to support the business initiative
