Bago presents C of O of 100,000 hectares of land to FG
…SIPC to drive inustrialisation – Uzoka-Anite
Orisemeke Benjamin
The Niger State government has presented the Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) of 100,000 hectares of land to the Federal Government for the Sustainable Integrated Productive Communities (SIPC) programme.
The presentation of the C of O to the federal government is coming 13 days after the signing of a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed at the Federal Ministry of Finance, Abuja, with the Ministry serving as the anchor institution, and MOFI providing strategic asset optimisation and private capital mobilisation support. The initiative represents a concrete step towards addressing food security, affordable housing, rural stability, and job creation.
The Sustainable Integrated Productive (SIPC) Programme that integrates mass housing, agriculture, renewable energy and enterprise development into a single, scalable framework for inclusive growth.
In her address at the Landmark event Thursday in Abuja, Minister of State for Finance, Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite, said the project is not just a housing intervention, but a settlement framework for farmers, aimed at strengthening agricultural value chains and improving livelihoods across the state.
According to the minister, the initiative will address challenges of insecure settlements, rural-urban migration, and inadequate infrastructure that continue to limit the full potential of our farming communities.
She said: “By anchoring farmers in stable communities with access to basic infrastructure, this project will enhance productivity, reduce post-harvest losses, improve security, and encourage youth participation in agriculture. Simply put, when farmers are properly settled, agriculture becomes more efficient, more attractive, and more profitable.
“Niger State remains one of Nigeria’s most agriculturally endowed states. This initiative seeks to address these challenges by providing structured, secure, and well-planned housing settlements for farmers, strategically located to support agricultural production, storage, processing, and market access.”
While highlighting the strategic role of the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI) to the success of the SIPC initiative, the minister said MOFI brings deep expertise in asset optimization, project structuring, and private capital mobilization.
“Through this collaboration, public land and assets are being transformed into productive economic instruments that deliver tangible value to citizens while reducing fiscal pressure on government.
“This project adopts an innovative financing model that blends public assets with private investment, ensuring sustainability, transparency, and shared risk. It allows the government to focus on enabling policy and oversight, while leveraging the efficiency and scale of the private sector,” she said.
Uzoka-Anite insisted that the project is not limited to agriculture alone but a broader attempt by the federal government to promote job security and drive sustainable development.
“Sustainability also remains a key priority, with integrated renewable energy solutions, including solar-powered homes and community facilities, to ensure reliable electricity, reduce energy costs, and support agro-processing and storage activities. As these settlements are developed, emphasis will be placed on efficient land use, access roads, water solutions, and environmentally responsible building practices that support long-term community growth.
“We are focused on structuring programs that are bankable, investable, and capable of attracting long-term investment into core areas and critical sectors of the economy. We believe that through institutions such as the Ministry of Finance Incorporated and other institutions of government, innovative financial structuring, we can continue to design initiatives like SIPC that de-risk private sector participation and ensure value for money. Let me emphasize that today’s event is not a one-off event.
“It forms part of a broader pipeline of initiatives the Federal Minister of Finance is rolling out, initiatives that support state governments, unlock private investments, and deliver measurable real-world impact for all citizens. This is a pilot that is ultimately proving this model, and it is a model that can be scaled, replicated, and adapted across Nigeria. It is about learning by doing and strengthening intergovernmental collaboration and ultimately using government support to de-risk private investment, therefore building confidence among investors, communities, and development partners.
As we formalize the partnership today, through the handover of the C of O, we do so with a sheer sense of purpose and responsibility. The true measure of success will not be the documents exchanged today, but the homes built, farms cultivated, jobs created, and communities transformed.
She assured that the federal government is fully committed to providing the necessary coordination, fiscal discipline, and policy support required to ensure successful implementation of the project.
Changing the face of agric
In his address before presenting the C of O’s to the minister, Nigeria State Governor, Mohammed Bago, said the project will change the face of how agriculture is done in Nigeria.
According to the Governor, the project will drive Nigeria’s industrialisation.
“This is a project that is going to bring revolution to Nigeria in terms of industrialization, agriculture, livestock, security, and so many other industries.
“So, for any investor that wants to be engaged in this, in terms of housing, in terms of livestock, in terms of anything you want to do, land is not a problem. We are so ambitious that out of our 8.4 million hectares of land, we can ceed at least 3 million.
“So, this will help to make this a reality, because we are invested as a government in mechanization, we are going to give every local government in Niger State 10 tractors with two combined harvesters. And this is to assist the locals in production,” the Governor said.
He further said, “Now you create a livelihood. And it is easier for somebody who owns a farm, either he’s doing livestock, fishery, anything he’s doing, or cropping, to be able to pay a mortgage and own a house than somebody that is just a hustler in the city. You talk about a micronutrient-fortified food.
“Your children will have vitamin A, and at their level of development, they will grow well. You know, because they are cropping good food. So, all these are things that this is going to bring.”
Benefits to rural communities
Earlier in his opening remarks, the Managing Director of MOFI, Dr. Armstrong Takang, said the SIPC initiative will immensely benefit the Nigerians especially those in rural communities.
“Despite the fact that we have all of these resources, we can’t see what impact we’re getting. Despite all these initiatives, a lot of people in the rural communities are not benefiting from it. Why don’t we create a program that allows us to convert those desolate, unproductive pieces of land and assets into productive communities, where they have a source of livelihood.
“They too can also get into the Nigerian dream, and the renewable agenda of Mr. President. They can own homes, they can afford to pay for those homes, through the activities in those communities, especially farming, whether it is crop production or livestock. They can send their children to school; they can live in safe communities because there is security there.
“They can have access to safe and high-quality water, because we have water provision. They can have access to power, like everybody else in the city. And as a result, there will be no need for people to all be fighting to go to Abuja, to go to Lagos, to go to Kano.
“They can have a decent life in their villages, in their local government. And the Minister challenged us to engage with the governors and say which are the actual governors that we can work with. As we called five governors,” Takang said.
