Nicknamed ‘Farming is Our Pride’, Zamfara state has a lot of investment opportunities even as the state continues to battle some security challenges.
Some of its challenges are another set of opportunities for investors who can employ technology to solve problems.
While we’ll be highlighting some of the business ideas, it’s important to point out that the major mode of communication is Hausa, Fulfulde. The formal model of communication is English.
Let’s explore at least 20 Business Opportunities in Zamfara state for indigenous and foreign investors:
Gold merchant
Zamfara is blessed with gold and it’s one of the reasons there is unrest in local areas where the precious God-given natural resources can be found.
If you want to invest in gold by trading or mining, the best way to tap from this is by obtaining a mining licence from the Federal Ministry of Mines and doing the same from the state government.
Poultry Farm
There are different reasons this is recommendable to investors willing to invest in Zamfara. Of course, generally, this is a lucrative business (the more birds you could rear to maturity and sell, the more money you can make from this venture). Aside from this fact, however, you won’t have to spend a lot of money trying to ensure the growth of your birds as far as Zamfara State is concerned.
For instance, the poultry farm owner will easily have access to cheap labour as well as cheap feed. Additionally, you can always sell your birds in other markets outside Zamfara.
Pharmacy Business
This sort of essential business could be easily launched in Nigeria. If you are a pharmacist that is business savvy, you can start a pharmacy store in Zamfara State, since there are few of such in the state currently.
Mechanized Farming
While there are several farmers in Zamfara State, many of them are simply operating on a small scale. Agriculture is lucrative in the state and as an investor, you can go for mechanized farming and expect a high ROI. There is much arable land in the state, and you can also decide on a large array of crops to cultivate.
Electronics Store
It is advisable to start this in Gusau, which is the capital of the State. Here, there are different needs for electronic appliances and products, and you can make good money being a seller. You just ensure you get a shop in a strategic place and you can move ahead.
Cattle Rearing Business
Animals like cattle are cheaper in the state than in several other places in the country. This is a profitable business that many have been making a lot of money from already.
You are going to need a means of transportation to convey cattle to other parts of the country where there are millions of beef consumers.
Water Refill Station
There are a lot of places in Zamfara State still battling with adequate water. Hence, you can build a business around providing treated water to the people. This is possible with a water refill station.
Exporting Agricultural Products
Zamfara prides itself as the embassy of farmers. The popular products include the plantation of millet, guinea corn, maize, rice, groundnut, cotton, tobacco and beans.
When this is done on large scale, you can be one of the major suppliers to companies who need them for production within and outside Nigeria.
Secondhand Products
Generally, secondhand products have a huge demand in Nigeria, Zamfara isn’t an exception. This is because a typical average Nigerian would prefer a secondhand product. After all, he would be able to save more for other essential needs.
Your focus should be clothes, sandals, irons, etc.
Date Services
Subscribing for data can be done via banking apps and by using USSD code, yet there are hundreds of people in Zamafar who would prefer to use a third-party service to subscribe for data for them to have access to the internet.
Make your price competitive, even if yours is just NGN2 cheaper than your competitors, you will be surprised by how users would prefer you to your competitors.
Provision Store
You can also start a provision store in Zamfara. While there are many provision stores around already, you can still run yours and become successful with it.
You should recognize the things the people can’t do without and stock your shop with them. There are many essential products you can consider – toothpaste, milk, biscuits, soap, and so on.
Vet Clinic
This is suitable for vet doctors. While such services are greatly needed in different parts of the State, there are just a few vet doctors here. This business will do well in the local areas where there are more poultry farms.
Tricycle Merchant
It is easy to move to different parts of major towns with a tricycle. Hence, many people are comfortable with tricycles.
With this, you can establish a business that sells tricycles in the State. You should however realize that you will need a lot of money to successfully run this sort of business.
Transportation Business
You can decide to buy a lot of tricycles and employ drivers to ply them on Zamfara roads. Alternatives, you can buy vehicles that can be used to take people to other parts of the country.
Barbing Salon
You can establish a barbing salon in Gusau. If you don’t have the skills, you can employ barbers to do the job. You can also include home service for more patronage.
Tutorial Center
There are young students in Zamfara who will be taking JAMB, Pst JAMB exams, they need tutorial centres
You can thus establish a tutorial center for them, to increase their chances of doing well in these important exams.
Local Food Restaurant
There are some well-to-do people in the state with big tastes and won’t mind patronizing your restaurant if it’s good. Don’t forget that the food business is usually lucrative in this part of the world.
Online Media
You run this from anywhere, as far as there is a good internet connection available. You must have a good knowledge of how this works, as well as have the right tools you will use too. The larger your reach, the better your revenue.
Laundry
There are working-class people in Gusau that don’t have time to do their laundry themselves. Hence, you can start a business that will help them get this done, and they will gladly pay for your services.
Business Solution Services
Recently, the state and the federal government are paying attention and supporting small businesses with soft loans and with flexible repayment modes.
To get access to any of the available loans, business owners must provide evidence of business registration with CAC. You can start to help people to register their businesses.
You can also provide solutions in the area of making their businesses visible on Google My profile, a free tool by Google to help small businesses in local search.
While it seems easy to start a business, there are some challenges you are most likely to face
Challenges Of Doing Business In Zamfara State
First, we should start by noting that all states in Nigeria have their issues that could hinder the smooth running of businesses, Zamfara’s situation is worst.
In a survey that was carried out by the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council some months ago to determine the ease of doing business in Nigerian states, it was discovered that Zamfara is one of the worst states in the country to do business, ranking no.1 at the bottom of the table.
Poor security
The state is still battling with an infrastructural deficit, poor security as terrorists have taken over some parts of the state where they killed or forcibly take away farmers from their farmlands
We hope that the state government works harder to make things much better for business activities.
How safe is Zamfara State for business activities?
Apart from the state capital Gusau, other towns and villages in Zamfara are prone to attacks from terrorists mildly called bandits. You will need adequate security for yourself, workers to successfully run a profitable in local areas in the state.
How many companies are there in Zamfara?
The number of companies in Zamfara is unknown because there is no credible data. Although some online platforms claim that there are only 56 companies in the state, there is no date to authenticate the claim.
How many states does Zamfara state share borders with?
Zamfara shares land borders with five states, they are Sokoto, Katsina, Kaduna, Niger and Kebbi. It is also one of the states that share land border with foreign countries in Nigeria
When was Zamfara State created?
It was created in 1996 by the military regime of Gen. Sani Abacha (Late)
Final Thought
To successfully operate a gold mining business in Zamfara, you have to collaborate with the locals to avoid the violence associated with gold mining in Zamfara
Take your security seriously if you plan to invest in Zamfara where criminals called bandits are pampered and motivated by the state government
Nevertheless, the aforementioned business ideas can be explored by business-minded people who has the capital
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- By shipsandports.com.ng