By Dahiru Samaila Mafara
Nigeria is abundantly endowed with multiples of potentials and arable land good enough to nurture the economy, be food sufficient and self sustenance, but lacks capable entrepreneurs and investors to take responsibility.
This lacadastical trend makes the country continue to remain just a consumer nation and dependent on other nations for food stuff and other necessities of life.
In his determination and unwavering commitment to change the narrative, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of TMDK Agro Park Company based in Kaduna, Alh. Ahmed Sule bold stepped up to assist in channeling Nigeria’s potentials, especially agricultural, to not only make Nigeria a productive nation, but also to make citizens more self reliant and venturable.
TMDK Agro and food Processing Company is currently the leading company in Nigeria and one at the forefront in Africa, that heavily invests in processing agricultural products to food, to semi-processed foods and ready to consume products.
The company has 2,200 tonnes of items installed production capacity per day, with 600 projected working staff, 500 trucks drivers, and billions of naira capital base.
TMDK is the biggest processing plant in Nigeria that encapsulates six factories in one place at the same time.
The company has a soya crushing plant, animals feeds factory, pasta/nuddles making industry, Processing plant, procurement outlet and a distribution, marketing and sales holding at the same time.
TMDK converts materials to products, specializes on refining and bottling of soya milk, processing of fish, cattle feeds production, packaging, extraction and procurement of agro products as well as distribution, marketing and sales, including confectioneries.
With compassion, and deeply worried for lack of ideal investors capable and willing to channel lNigeria’s verse resources to the right paths to make the country more great, especially in agro processing sector, the TMDK’s MD/CEO is poised to bring hope and succour to people, especially farmers in the northern region towards making the country food secure and local contents oriented nation.
In a recent interview with ‘Danfako Media Ventures, the CEO of TMDK, Alh. Ahmed Sule, said “This is an investment that gives back to our people. Since 2016, most farmers abandoned farming because they could not find a market for their crops after harvest, hence they could not recover their investments, neither they could cater for themselves”.
He narrated that the company now shifts its focus on northern Nigeria which is mostly agrarian, but looses due to lack òf agro based investors, available markets and buyers.
In line with the Federal Government’s policy on agriculture, the company decided to go down closer to farmers by domiciling in Kaduna for the benefit of farmers in the northwest.
The company is ambitious and has keen interest to encourage farmers, agricultural production, agro processing, and more jobs for people in the region, especially among youth.
According to Alh Ahmed SuLe, the company is multi dimensional. Over the years, it invested hugely in oil and gas infrastructure, but now turns its attention to evolving avenues for farmers and agro investments in the region to flourish, with desire to provide employment to 60-70 indigenous northern citizens.
He expressed dismay, that some years back, there were shift of commodities from south to the north, because companies and investors are mainly located in the South.
The northern compatriot also lamented that farmers in the north used to sell their crops to companies from the south at cheafer prices, but consequently the companies would processed the crops to pasta, nuddles, packaged rice, canned fruits etc, brought them back to the north and sell them to people at exorbitant prices.
The move by the company to make its presence felt in the northwest, is therefore a welcome development for farmers in the region, now that the company passionately aims to help in agro production, agro processing, distribution, marketing, and creating more employment opportunities.
“With the presence of the company closer to people in the north , farmers are getting benefits. They sell their grains, get back what they have invested, and cater for themselves”, the MD disclosed.
The company is the first of its kind in Nigeria, with capital worth billions of naira. Between January and February this year, the company had bought soya beans from northern farmers worth over N70 billion, an investiture that paid back to farmers and provided jobs.
TMDK which produces high level agro products, is indeed a game changer, farmers friendly and supportive of northern development with humility, sense of compassion, commitment and patriotism.
Full scale production by the company will commence this coming July, 2025 on 2,200 tones capacity per day, ranging from processing, procurement to distribution and marketing etc.
Opportunity gained, progress achieved. Support TMDK for food sufficiency, local contents development and self reliance in Nigeria.
