President Bola Tinubu will on Monday inaugurated the renamed Minna International Airport, agro-processing zone, and agriculture equipment.
The airport is renamed Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Airport, Minna by Gov. Umar Bago of Niger on Friday.
The airport was first inaugurated by former military Head of State Ibrahim Babangida on June 20, 1990.
Bago remodeled the airport hitherto closed due to the cut-off runway, it now has a fully furnished Domestic Terminal.
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About 2,000 hectares will be used for the agro-processing zone project; 1,000 hectares for drip irrigation and greenhouses and 1,000 hectares for processing of dairy products.
“Niger State sells an average of half a million cattle to Nigerians and people outside Nigeria daily.
“We don’t need to transport these cattle by road. You can take the meat that is frozen from here anywhere and it will create employment, and enhance the value chain.
“We are constructing about 140 kilometers of water irrigation channels to this place from Shiroro dam. This project is an ambitious 50-year programme, but the first phase will be finished in the next few years.
“We are bringing in 80 megawatts of power to this airport,” Bago said.
During the visit, Tinubu is expected to meet with the two former Heads of State Ibrahim Babangida and Abdulsalami Abubakar.
Niger is a state in the North Central region of Nigeria and the largest state in the country by area. Niger State has three political zones, zone A, B, and C. The state’s capital is at Minna. Other major cities are Bida, Kontagora and Suleja. It was formed in 1976 when the then North-Western State was divided into Niger State and Sokoto State. It is home to Ibrahim Babangida and Abdulsalami Abubakar, two of Nigeria’s former military rulers. The Nupe, Gbagyi, Kamuku, Kambari, Gungawa, Hun-Saare, Hausa and Koro form the majority of numerous indigenous tribes of Niger State.
