By correspondent in Minna.
Photo credit: Google.
The Niger State Governor, Hon. Mohammed Umar Bago has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with three companies—Uttham Sucrotech International, Rite Foods Ltd, and Legacy Sugar Company Ltd—alongside the state-owned Niger Foods.
This agreement aims for the mass cultivation of sugarcane over 148,000 hectares in a three-year plan, supporting six sugar companies to be established within the state, with four located between Shiroro and Minna, the state capital.
The Governor’s Special Adviser on Digital Media and Strategy, Abdullberqy Usman Ebbo, who disclosed this at the Government House,Minna, qouted the governor as describing the event as a significant step towards the agricultural revolution under the Bago administration.
According to the governor,each of the six sugar factories is projected to process between 5,000 and 15,000 tonnes of sugarcane daily, producing sugar, ethanol, and clean energy.
The governor said that once operational, the factories are expected to yield approximately 1.6 million tonnes of sugar and 1.45 million tonnes of ethanol annually, enhancing both domestic food production and export potential.
He emphasized that the agreement would create a conducive environment for further investment in the state and open numerous opportunities for Nigerlites and Nigerians, promoting industrialization.
The initiative aligns with the state government’s Green Economy Initiative, aiming to enhance food security and improve citizens’ quality of life. The project also plans to empower local farmers, offering 110,000 outgrowers and by-products like refined ethanol, power, and cattle feeds,he said.
The MoU includes an off-take programme for 145 million litres of ethanol from the sugar plants, generating annual revenues of 5 to 6 million Naira for participating farmers.
The governor expressed optimism that this initiative would alleviate pressure on the dollar and foster community growth and development through job creation, skills training, and increased local engagement, ultimately leading to poverty alleviation.
Edited by Dada Ahmed.
