By Cecilia Ogezi
Governor Mohammed Umar Bago of Niger State has formalized a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with three key companies Uttham Sucrotech International, Rite Foods Ltd, and Legacy Sugar Company Ltd for large-scale sugarcane cultivation and sugar production. The agreement covers the cultivation of 148,000 hectares over a three-year period to supply six new sugar companies, four of which will be based between Shiroro and Minna, the state capital.
The Special Adviser on Digital Media and Strategy, Abdullberqy Usman Ebbo, highlighted the project’s potential to transform Niger State’s agricultural landscape. Each of the six sugar factories will have the capacity to process between 5,000 and 15,000 tonnes of sugarcane per day, producing sugar, ethanol, and clean energy. The factories are projected to generate 1.6 million tonnes of sugar and 1.45 million tonnes of ethanol annually, aimed at boosting both domestic production and export.
This initiative aligns with the state’s Green Economy Initiative, which includes ethanol blending to reduce carbon emissions. It will also empower local farmers and foster industrialization, creating opportunities for economic growth, job creation, and skill acquisition in the region.
