(Ecofin Agency) - In Nigeria, Niger state government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) worth $3.25 billion with All States Investment Ltd., for fish farming in the state. The agreement was signed at the 2017 Niger State Investment Summit in Minna on Tuesday.

According to Henry Goiko, Managing Director of All States Investment Ltd, the investment also includes the establishment of an Integrated Agriculture City which will comprise of 40,000 units of houses for workers. He said the projects will cover 42,948.215 hectares of land in Rafi Local Government Area of the state.

The agriculture city would have world-class facilities including independent electricity supply facility and “It will also have all types of animal husbandry that will be producing and selling products in the world market. We want to start aquaculture farming such as croaker and tilapia fish farming to stop fish importation. We have our Chinese partners from Shanghai to assist us,” Goiko said.

The project, he added, would be commissioned in February 2018 and would create 200,000 direct jobs for youths in the state.

Also speaking at the event, Governor of the state, Abubakar Sani Bello, described the agreement as a significant milestone in its efforts to improve the state’s economy through agriculture.

Anita Fatunji