The Niger State Government has entered into a ₦1.8 trillion partnership with Dangote Rice Limited aimed at boosting paddy rice production and supply over the next 10 years. The agreement was officially signed in Lagos at the office of Aliko Dangote, President of the Dangote Group, and was announced by the state government in a statement shared on X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday.
As outlined in the deal, Niger Foods, the state’s agricultural vehicle, will supply high-quality paddy rice to Dangote Rice Limited in a bid to drive sustainable agricultural development and enhance food sufficiency across Nigeria. Chairman of Niger Foods, Sammy Adigun, stated that the state is expected to cultivate 25,000 hectares of commercial rice farms while also supporting 50,000 smallholder farmers. He noted that the decade-long partnership is projected to generate 50,000 direct jobs and will leverage water sources from the rivers Niger and Kaduna to scale up rice production.
Aliko Dangote, speaking at the signing, described the agreement as a culmination of extensive discussions focused on strengthening food production and self-reliance in Nigeria. He highlighted the group’s ongoing investments in rice mills and plantations across various states as part of an out-growers scheme designed to create jobs and boost national food security. With this agreement, Niger State joins five other states where Dangote Group is currently developing rice mills as part of its broader agricultural expansion strategy.
Source: https://guardian.ng/
