By Lucy Ogalue
Niger Governor, Umar Bago, has assured the National Sugar Development Council (NSDC) and the Lee Group of the state’s commitment to establish a massive sugar project.
Bago said this in a statement by the sugar council on Thursday in Abuja.
He gave the assurance at the Government House, Minna, when he received a delegation from the NSDC and the Lee Group, led by the Council’s Executive Secretary/CEO, Mr Kamar Bakrin.
The governor urged the investors to select suitable land in any part of the state for the proposed multi-million dollar sugar production project, pledging that the government will make it available.
“Niger State is open to serious investors. We have the land, water, and political will to support projects that will grow our economy and create jobs.
“The government is ready to provide land for this sugar project from any part of the state that the investor considers suitable,” Bago said.
He reaffirmed the state government’s readiness to partner with credible investors in agriculture, particularly sugar production, emphasising collaboration and long-term partnership.
The NSDC executive secretary said that the visit was part of efforts to introduce the Lee Group, owners of GNAL Sugar, as a reputable investor in large-scale sugar production to Niger.
Bakrin described the state as one of Nigeria’s most viable locations for sugarcane development.
“The Council is deliberate about the kind of investors we bring to our states. Lee Group is a serious conglomerate with a long-standing track record in sugar and industrial development.
“This engagement is about building a sustainable, long-term partnership that will benefit the state and Nigeria as a whole,”he said.
He said that the NSDC’s role extended beyond policy formulation to actively facilitating engagements between investors and sub-national governments.
According to him, this aims to unlock land, infrastructure and institutional support for successful sugar projects.
Also, the Project Director of Lee Group, Mr Lam Wing Ki Wilkins, said that the company had operated for over six decades in industrial and agro-industrial development, including sugarcane cultivation and processing.
He expressed appreciation to the NSDC for facilitating the engagement, and to the Niger State government for its openness.
He then emphasised the company’s commitment to sustainability and alignment with Nigeria’s sugar development objectives.
Niger, the largest state in Nigeria by land mass, has been identified among 11 states with the most suitable land for sugarcane cultivation, following a national study conducted by the NSDC. (NAN)
