Baladna, a dairy company based in Qatar, is set to invest millions of dollars in a food processing factory in Ogun state, Nigeria.
This was disclosed by Mr. Aidan Thomas Iynan, head of Products and Solutions Architecture at Baladna, during a courtesy visit to Ogun State Government House.
The delegation, led by Aisha Rimi, executive secretary of the Nigeria Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC), met with Governor Dapo Abiodun to discuss potential areas of collaboration.
Iynan emphasised that the company has invested heavily in an integrated dairy farm along with the government of Qatar, which has become the biggest single dairy farm in the world. With the company’s expertise, Ogun State and the country as a whole are set to achieve remarkable results.
He added that the drought in Syria and flash floods in North America, the Mediterranean, and North Africa will eventually affect countries relying on imports to address food insecurity, and therefore, Nigeria should work towards becoming self-sufficient in dairy production.
Stating that the purpose of the visit was to explore possibilities in the country while discussing collaboration with the Ogun state government, especially regarding land acquisition.
In his response, the Governor noted that demand for milk has surged to 1.6 billion litres per year, with major supply coming from imports as most companies running dairy farms tend to rely on importing powdered milk.
He said:
“I think that you represent the kind of company that we would like to work with, and we are confident that you will work with Nigeria to achieve the Renewed Hope Initiative in agriculture. If within one month you were able to achieve 35 percent of milk supply in Qatar and within six months you became self-sufficient, I have no doubt that you can achieve that here in Nigeria.”
The Governor noted that the company will contribute significantly to job creation and individual prosperity in the state, urged the company to consider establishing itself in the state, emphasizing the company’s alignment with the state’s goals.Baladna, a dairy company based in Qatar, is set to invest millions of dollars in a food processing factory in Ogun state, Nigeria.
