Niger State Signs $100 Million Livestock Export Deal With Saudi Arabia 

The Niger State Government has agreed to a deal with the government of Saudi Arabia to export livestock worth about $100 million dollars according to the state governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago, on Tuesday at the Firstbank Agric and Expo 2025.

This signals a positive trend in the government’s non-oil export from the country, and under the deal agreement, the first tranche begins with a $10 million payment to the Niger State government by the Saudi authorities.

The development is aimed at stimulating the economy of Niger state and also making the state a strategic player in the livestock supply chain.

Governor Bago said, “This is incredible. The Saudi government has given us an offtake agreement for $100 million. They’ve asked the Nigerian Export and Import Bank (NEXIM) to come in, and we’re starting with the first $10 million.” 

This development comes against the backdrop of increasing geopolitical and environmental disruptions in the Sahel and Sudan, which have created urgent demand for livestock across the Middle East.

Bago explained that this is a $2.5 billion annual opportunity, as Saudi Arabia and neighbouring countries seek stable, high-volume sources for meat and animal by-products.

He said, “This is not just about meat. The tripe, blood, skin, hooves, every part of the animal has value. We’re building the entire ecosystem.” 

In his remarks, Olusegun Alebiosu, Firstbank CEO, explained that as a nation, Nigeria finds itself at a pivotal moment in its economic journey, one that demands bold diversification beyond oil and the harnessing of the vast opportunities in our non-oil sectors.

He said, “Today, agriculture, once overlooked, is rightfully at the heart of our national development agenda.” 

Alebiosu, during the event, renamed FirstBank Agric & Export Expo, which reflects the bank’s renewed and unwavering commitment to positioning non-oil exports as a transformative force in Nigeria’s economy.