The Niger State Government, through the Niger Foods Security System and Logistics Company Limited, has signed a ground lease agreement with communities in Wushishi Local Government Area to scale up rice production and enhance food security.
The agreement, sealed on Tuesday at the Niger Foods office in Minna, brought together village heads, district heads, and hakimis representing over 100 communities, signaling strong grassroots support for the initiative.
Chairman of Niger Foods, Mr. Sammy Adigun, described the memorandum of understanding as a transformative step for Niger State and Nigeria’s agricultural sector. He revealed that the project is targeting an annual production of about 360,000 tons of rice, representing between 7 and 10 percent of the country’s total demand.
“This development is not just about food production; it is a complete value chain that will create job opportunities, especially for young people. It will also drive community development through the provision of infrastructure such as roads, power supply, and schools,” Adigun said.
He explained that the project aligns with the national goal of achieving food sovereignty and goes beyond farming to include opportunities in processing and factory operations.
Chairman of Wushishi Local Government, Mohammed Yelwa, welcomed the initiative, pledging his office’s support to ensure its success. District Heads of Akera and Zungeru also threw their weight behind the project, describing it as a long-awaited dream that would benefit Niger State and Nigeria at large.
The rice production scheme is expected to strengthen food security while delivering broad socio-economic benefits to communities in Niger State and beyond.
