Special Investment Destination: Niger State, Nigeria
Invest in Niger State – The Power State Niger State is located in the northern region of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The state capital is the city of Minna. Niger State shares a border with Kaduna State and Abuja to the north-east and south-east respectively; Zamfara State borders the north, Kebbi State in the west, Kogi State in the south and Kwara State in the south-west. The Republic of Benin borders the north-west by Agwara local government area.
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iger State is the largest state in the country. It covers a land area of approximately 74,244 square kilometres, which is about 10 per cent of the total land area of Nigeria. About 85 per cent of the land is arable.
Climate The state experiences distinct dry and wet seasons with annual rainfall varying from 1,100mm in the northern regions to 1,600mm in the southern areas. The average maximum temperature is 30ºC while the average minimum is 22ºC. The rainy seasons last for about 150 days in the northern parts to about 180 days in the southern regions of the state. The fertile soil and hydrology of the state permit the cultivation of most of Nigeria’s staple crops, and still allows sufficient opportunities for grazing, fresh water fishing and forestry development.
Population and people The population of Niger State is about four million, with an annual growth rate of 3.4 per cent. Eightyfive per cent of the populace are farmers, while 15 per cent are involved in vocations such as whitecollar jobs, business, crafts and arts. Predominantly the peoples are Muslims and Christians. Although there are three main ethnic groups (Nupe, Gbagyi and Hausa) there are many other groups living happily with one another; these include 108
Igbo, Yoruba and numerous other groups hailing from all over Nigeria.
Economy Niger State is blessed with rich and fertile lands, of which many are yet to be fully explored. The even climate, annual rainfall and availability of a wide variety of mineral and agricultural resources all attest to the economic potential of the state. Some of the natural and mineral resources that are found in the state include: talc, gold, baliclays, silica, sand, marble, copper, iron, feldspar, lead, kaolin, cassiterite, columbite, mica, quartzite and limestone.
The five Special Economic Zones In pursuance of the Niger State Vision 3:2020, Special Economic Zones were established in the state to enhance economic activities, industrial production, agroprocessing, tourism etc. These Special Economic Zones are to be promoted through public-private partnership concept whereby strategic alliances and symbiotic relationships will be established between the Niger State Government and interested private parties. These Special Economic Zones are the Industrial Parks, Minna Airport City, Babana Transnational Business City, Suleja Twin City and Baro Inland. They will be the means to bring to reality the Niger State vision 3:2020 to be among the top three state economies by the year 2020.
The Commonwealth Finance Ministers Meeting 2010
Niger State Industrial Parks Development Agency (NSIPDA) The concept of the industrial parks is to fast-track industrial development and enhance economic activities in industrially disadvantaged areas through the development of a world class infrastructure with strategic business support packages that will meet the needs of industrialists and manufacturers at all levels. The industrial park concept occurs at different levels and stages which include parks, clusters, free trade zones, and enterprise zones. The objectives of NSIPDA is to promote the development and growth of the industrial sector of the state economy through the establishment and management of industrial parks, clusters and enterprises zones; also to promote technology acquisitions, transfer and other innovative Industrial parks Garam Industrial Park (FCT/Niger state border) MAC Industrial Park (Minna) BTBC Industrial Park (Babana border) Industrial clusters Minna Industrial Cluster Suleja Industrial Cluster Bida Industrial Cluster Kontagora Industrial Cluster Enterprise zones To be located in all the 25 local government area headquarters