Governor Mohammed Bago of Niger State has expressed delight over the outcome of the investment parley with Saudi Arabian investors as he expressed their readiness to invest in the agriculture and road infrastructural projects across in the state.
The development, is a major boost investment efforts of the Niger State, as the governor said the Saudi Arabians have bought into the various investment opportunities in the state.
Governor Bago made this known this during a media chat held on the sidelines of the high-powered level negotiation at the Saudi Arabian – Nigeria Roundtable Meeting held in Mecca, led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Governor Bago said the negotiations include the Dualization of Bida – Minna Road.
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While confirming that the State and investors have resolved to collaborate on agriculture, he explained that they chose Niger “as the State for the first pilot scheme because of our closest to the FCT, our bodies of water for irrigation. We have four hydropower dams that are currently functional.
“We have bodies of streams and water. We have both River Niger and River Benue. We are the largest producer of Sheanut and also paddy rice in Nigeria.
“So, this is a very opportunity and avenue to showcase ourselves, which we have done. And we have gotten interested collaboration.”
Earlier in his address, President Tinubu, on Monday night, in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, advanced negotiations concerning a multi-billion dollar infrastructure finance facility from the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) to fund a multi-sectoral portfolio of infrastructure projects at both Federal and Sub-national levels in Nigeria.
During the Saudi-Arab-African Economic Summit, the President of Islamic Development Bank announced the provision of US$50 billion of new investment for the African continent from the Arab Coordination Group (ACG).
In the same vein, the Islamic Development Bank Vice-President also reiterated the Bank’s resolve to support Nigeria’s economic transformation.
As the largest market and the largest economy in Africa, Nigeria is expected to secure a significant share of the multi-billion dollar investment for the continent.