Jigawa State Governor, Malam Umar Namadi, has commissioned three construction-material production facilities worth approximately ₦3.5bn in Dutse, with the investment expected to strengthen indigenous contractors and create up to 500 jobs for residents.
The facilities, established by ALREN Construction Company, comprise an asphalt plant, a concrete batching plant and a precast plant. The investment is expected to improve local access to construction materials, reduce procurement challenges for contractors and stimulate economic activities across the state.
In a press statement issued on October 17, 2026, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Hamisu Mohammed Gumel, said the facilities would support local construction businesses while expanding employment opportunities for indigenes.
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, Namadi said the investment aligned with his administration’s 12-Point Agenda, particularly its focus on private-sector partnerships, employment generation and economic expansion.
“One of our 12-Point Agenda is in action today in this place. That is a partnership with the private sector to generate employment and increase economic activities in Jigawa State,” the governor said.
He explained that the facilities would make asphalt and other essential construction materials more accessible to indigenous contractors, particularly small-scale operators who previously travelled outside the state to obtain supplies for their projects.
“Our indigenous small contractors in Jigawa State will now have no reason to travel outside Jigawa State to get asphalt for the work they are doing,” Namadi said.
The governor said local production of construction materials would ease operational difficulties for contractors, improve their capacity to execute projects and strengthen indigenous businesses in the construction industry.
The investment is also expected to support the state’s infrastructure development by reducing some of the transportation and procurement challenges associated with sourcing construction materials from outside Jigawa.
Namadi disclosed that the three facilities had already employed 265 people, all of whom were indigenes of the state. He added that the company’s chairman had pledged to increase the workforce at the facilities to 500 by the first quarter of 2027.
The proposed expansion would create additional employment opportunities while increasing the contribution of the facilities to economic activities in the state. The governor said the jobs would also support household incomes and contribute to government revenue.
Namadi commended ALREN Construction Company for investing in Jigawa and assured its management of the state government’s continued cooperation.
“The Jigawa State Government will continue to work with you, because you are a very good partner to us,” he said.
He encouraged the company to explore investment opportunities in other sectors of the state’s economy, reiterating his administration’s commitment to providing an environment conducive to private-sector growth.
The governor’s remarks underscore the state government’s strategy of encouraging private businesses to complement public investment in infrastructure and employment generation. The success of the initiative, however, will depend partly on the company’s ability to fulfil its employment commitments and on the extent to which local contractors benefit from improved access to construction materials.
Earlier, the Managing Director of ALREN Construction Company, Engr. Salim El Ters, said the investment was intended to strengthen the company’s operational capacity, support construction development and create employment opportunities.
“Our main concern today is to strengthen our capacity to support construction development and create valuable employment opportunities,” El Ters said.
He disclosed that the company planned to increase its overall workforce from 935 to approximately 1,170 employees, representing a proposed addition of about 235 workers.
According to him, approximately 30 per cent of the additional employees were expected to be recruited from Jigawa State, potentially extending the employment benefits beyond the three newly commissioned facilities.
The planned expansion of the company’s overall workforce would complement the commitment to increase employment at the plants to 500 by the first quarter of 2027. However, the two figures relate to different workforce plans and should not be treated as the same target.
El Ters expressed appreciation to the state government for its support and for creating an environment conducive to private-sector investment. He said the company intended to contribute to construction development while expanding its employment capacity.
The establishment of the asphalt, concrete batching and precast plants could also help local contractors access essential materials more conveniently for road construction and other infrastructure projects. Greater local availability may reduce delays associated with transporting supplies from outside the state, although the extent of the benefits will depend on production capacity, pricing and accessibility for indigenous businesses.
West Trybe reports that ALREN’s ₦3.5bn investment represents a significant private-sector commitment to Jigawa’s construction industry, with the immediate employment of 265 residents and a target of 500 workers at the facilities by early 2027. The broader economic impact will depend on whether the company delivers its workforce expansion plans and whether the new plants translate into more affordable, accessible construction materials for local contractors.
