Niger State has launched an ambitious push to tap into its crude oil wealth, aggressively courting the Dangote Group and other investors to spearhead exploration activities in the oil-rich Bida Basin.
The bold investment drive was unveiled during the Dangote Special Day at the Niger National Trade Fair in Minna, where the state government declared its readiness to partner private investors under a Joint Venture-Public Private Partnership (JV-PPP) arrangement aimed at unlocking what officials described as enormous untapped hydrocarbon potential.
Commissioner for Trade, Investment, Industry and Private Sector Development, Hon. Aminu Suleiman Takuma, said the Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago administration was deploying its One-Stop-Shop investment model to fast-track investments and remove bureaucratic bottlenecks for investors.
Takuma openly wooed the Dangote Group, praising the industrial giant for building the world’s largest single-train refinery and describing the company as a critical partner in Niger State’s quest for economic transformation.
“We are open for business,” the commissioner declared, assuring investors of favourable policies, government support and a business-friendly climate capable of driving large-scale industrial growth.
Responding, Regional Director and Senior Adviser to Aliko Dangote, Fatima Wali Abdurrahman, described the Dangote Group as a “natural partner” to Niger State, highlighting the conglomerate’s existing investments in rice processing in Wushishi.
She applauded Governor Bago’s aggressive economic reforms and investor-friendly policies, pledging the company’s commitment to deepening its partnership with the state.
The high-profile session attracted key government officials, including commissioners for Homeland Security and Agriculture and Food Security, as well as the representative of the Emir of Minna, Dr. Umar Bakai.
The Dangote Group was also the major sponsor of the trade fair, further cementing its growing influence in Niger State’s industrial and economic expansion plans.
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