Founder’s Story

👤 Founder’s Story

My name is Muqtar Hassan, founder and CEO of IIGAD.

Before coming to the United States, I was raised in a farming family in Somalia. As a child, I worked alongside my parents growing crops — it was how we lived and survived. Farming was part of my identity long before I ever knew the word “entrepreneur.”

Due to war and instability, I became a refugee and later resettled in the United States. Today, I am a proud U.S. citizen, married, and the father of four children. I’ve been living and working in the U.S. for over 19 years.

During that time, I built a successful semi-trucking business, with over 15 years of experience in transportation and logistics. The trucking industry taught me a lot about supply chains, managing risk, and how to run a real business.

After visiting my family in East Africa multiple times, I rediscovered my passion for farming — but this time with a new perspective. I saw a massive opportunity in Kenya, where land is fertile, labor is available, and demand for export crops is growing fast.

I chose Kenya specifically because of its duty-free trade access to the U.S. under AGOA, and similar agreements with Europe. This makes Kenya one of the best platforms in East Africa for launching a successful export agribusiness.

With savings from trucking, I purchased 300 acres of land in Kenya. My goal is to combine my childhood experience, logistics expertise, and business mindset to build a sustainable, profitable farm — starting with the basics and scaling with smart capital.

If you’d like to connect or explore investment opportunities, feel free to contact me directly at: 📨 [e-mail]