Niger State Governor Mohammed Umar Bago has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with three companies to establish six sugar mills, reported Daily Post.
Abdullberqy Usman Ebbo, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Digital Media and Strategy, shared this information stating that four of the six mills will be situated in the Shiroro and Minna areas of the state.
“The agreement was signed with Uttham Sucrotech International, Rite Foods Ltd, Legacy Sugar Company Ltd, and Niger Foods for a three-year, 148,000-hectare project, with four of the mills to be located between Shiroro and Minna,” Ebbo stated.
He explained that each of the sugar mills is expected to have the capacity to crush between 5,000 and 15,000 tonnes of sugarcane per day, which will be used to produce sugar, ethanol, and clean energy.
Ebbo further explained that the agreement is part of the state’s effort to create an enabling environment for investments, improve food security, and uplift the quality of life for the people, aligning with the state government’s Green Economy Initiative.
According to Ebbo, the involvement of Uttam Sucrotech International will bring multiple benefits to Niger State, including the production of ethanol, power generation, and cattle feed, as well as empowering 110,000 out-growers to achieve self-sufficiency.
He also noted that participating farmers could earn between N5 million and N6 million annually from the 145 million-litre ethanol off-take programme, which will help promote local agriculture, ease dollar pressure, and support community development.
“The out-grower and off-taker components of the agreement will promote community participation, help alleviate poverty, create jobs, facilitate skills acquisition, and encourage local engagement in the programme,” Ebbo added.
