…The agreement is expected to see Arab contractors developing 250,000 hectares of land in the State beginning with 25,000 hectares as the first phase in the five year agreement plan
MON APRIL 07 2025-theGBJournal| Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago has advocated the need for African leaders to take advantage of the potentials of the Continent to cut down on food importation.
The Governor Bago made the suggestion when he met with the officials of Arab Contractors in Cairo, Egypt shortly after securing an agreement with the Egyptian giants on agric production.
Bago decried the rate at which Africans rely heavily on food importation adding that, Africa currently imports $55bn worth of food including maize, wheat oils, rice and other agricultural products.
He said, Niger State with its enormous potentials has adequate land and water with over 1,850 km of river front land for irrigation and with a youthful population and 5m hectares of arable land capable of producing 50 million tons of food.
The global Chairman Arab Contractors, Ahmed Moustafa El Assar promised farmer Umaru Bago that he will visit Niger state in May 2025 along with the officials of Egyptian Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Irrigation Development to see how explore areas in agriculture.
He stated that the Government of Egypt is fully committed to the food security of Egypt and Nigeria.
Meanwhile, Niger State Government, through Niger Foods inked a Memorandum of Understanding with Arab contractors for the development of 250,000 hectares of land in the State for crop production, livestock farming, food processing factories and abattoirs.
The agreement was signed at the Headquarters of Arab Contractors in Cairo Egypt where the Executive Chairman Niger Foods, Sammy Adigun signed on behalf of Niger Food Security and Logistics Company while the Managing Director Arab Contractors, Engr. Mohammed Eledaros signed on behalf of Arab Contractors.
The agreement is expected to see Arab contractors developing 250,000 hectares of land in the State beginning with 25,000 hectares as the first phase in the five year agreement plan.
In the agreement, Niger Foods is to provide the land suitable for agricultural development purposes while Arab Contractors will develop the lands including the provision of technical expertise and know-how where necessary.
The 250,000 hectares of land to be developed will pave way for the production of 2 million tons of food annually, provide 2 million direct and indirect jobs as well as bring in investment of about $1.5bn over a five year period.
Both parties are to jointly raise the capital required for the development of the project from financial institutions, investors and other funding sources.
Niger State Governor, farmer Mohammed Umaru Bago and a few other key government officials including the Secretary to the State Government, Abubakar Usman, Chief of Staff to the Governor Usman Gbatamangi and Chairman New Niger Development Project, Mustapha Bida were present at the signing of the agreement.
The Chairman of Arab Contractors, Ahmed Mostafi El- Assar including Finance Director for Africa, Emad Ebied, Head of Business Development & Strategic studies and marketing development, Lubna Shafla as well as the Head of Public Relations section Menna Yasser were also present during the signing of the MOU.
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