The Niger State Government has finalised plans to collaborate with the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) to attract private capital investment to the state.
This decision stems from Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago’s visit to the BPE Director-General, Alex Okoh, in Abuja.
Governor Bago said he recognises BPE’s capacity to guide the state in attracting meaningful investors, fostering socio-economic development, and enhancing prosperity.
Joined by Commissioners and Heads of relevant agencies in Niger State, the Governor sought BPE’s assistance in harnessing the state’s vast potentials.
“We acknowledge BPE’s ability to deliver and seek tutelage to develop bankable proposals, creating a model for prosperity. Our goal is to attract investments to Niger State,” he emphasised.
Highlighting the state’s comparative advantages in power and arable land, Governor Bago revealed plans for a nursery to cultivate one billion trees with support from a Saudi Arabian Prince.
“In pursuit of its Green Economy initiative, the State Government has written to the Federal government, expressing interest in leasing the Kainji National Park. This initiative aims to aggregate trees, replant cash crops, and monitor the park effectively for economic benefit,” the Governor explained.
BPE Director-General, Alex Okoh, pledged support for optimising state assets and reforming the power, agricultural, and tourism sectors.
While noting that Federal Allocation alone cannot drive national development, Okoh stressed the importance of translating state potentials into tangible benefits.
Describing Niger state as an energy hub with four hydro dams and the country’s cheapest energy, Mr Okoh pledged to structuring the state’s power and agricultural potential.
This effort aims to attract valuable private capital investments, build capacity for transactions, and engage development partners.
The BPE boss also highlighted the agency’s role in supporting the state to develop a comprehensive assets register for effective Public-Private Partnership engagements.
He expressed the BPE’s commitment to collaborate with stakeholders to attract capital investments to the state by the first quarter of next year.
Regarding the Kainji National Park, Okoh assured the Niger State Governor that BPE would work towards its resuscitation, in order to benefit the state.
