Yahaya spoke on Saturday during the ground-breaking ceremony for the project in Gombe.
He said President Bola Tinubu had approved a total of N120 billion for the establishment of the zone, adding that half of the amount has been disbursed to the state.
The governor said the project is designed to build a prosperous and sustainable future in livestock development.
According to Yahaya, the 184-hectare zone would feature key facilities such as an ultramodern abattoir, an international livestock market, fattening centres, a tannery and leather factory, a top-tier grains and livestock feeds market, as well as an inland dry port.
“Each facility is designed with cutting-edge infrastructure to enable safe, efficient, and large-scale processing and commerce,” he said.
“The Gombe Ultramodern Abattoir is set to transform meat processing in Gombe State, and indeed the entire Northern region of Nigeria.
“This automated facility will enable hygienic, efficient, and globally compliant processing, packaging, and distribution – serving both domestic and international markets.
“By eliminating the outdated practice of transporting live animals under unsafe and costly conditions, we pave the way for a smarter, safer livestock economy.”
Yahaya said the project would create employment, boost productivity, promote import substitution, and generate foreign exchange across the entire livestock value chain.
The governor commended the president for his support towards harnessing the vast potential within the livestock sector.
On his part, Idi Maiha, minister of livestock development, reaffirmed the federal government’s commitment to the development of the livestock sector.
He said the agro-livestock industrial zone aligns with Tinubu’s ‘Renewed Hope’ agenda, aimed at enhancing animal processing capacity for both domestic and international consumption.
Maiha praised the governor’s efforts to revitalise the sector, noting that upon completion, the facility would have the capacity to process 500 bulls, 1,000 small ruminants, and 3,000 poultry birds daily.
