Today, our Make Nigeria Better bandwagon rolls into Niger State, where we examine the economic potential of the territory

Ayo Akinfe

[1] For starters Niger State has the largest landmass in Nigeria with an area of 76,363 km2. This is more than double the whole of the southeast geo-political zone with its 29,525 square kilometres and almost as much as the entire 79,665 square kilometres that makes up the southwest. Niger State should be one endless stream of farming plantations

[2] Are you all aware that Nigeria’s first ever mega cattle ranch was established at Mokwa in modern day Niger State in 1964? Founded by the Germans with a total capacity of 10,000 hectares by 1973, the Mokwa Cattle Ranch had a herd of 3,000 cattle. Just imagine how much the state would be generating from export earnings if this ranch had been expanded upon

[3] Once upon a time, Niger State had what was called Green Panic Grass which covered 200 hectares could be harvested six times a year in the rainy season. Imagine the potential this would have offered in the artificial grass industry

[4] Niger State also has an abundance of water because it straddles the River Niger. It is home to the Gurara Waterfalls, Lake Kainji, the Borgu Game Reserve and the Zugurma Game Reserve. This means there will be ample water for these cattle to drink if numerous ranches were opened

[5] Also, talking of waterfalls, Niger State alone should easily generate 30,000MW of electricity. Were I the state governor, I would build a facility bigger than China’s Three Gorges Dam at Katcha

[6] Niger State is within close proximity of Abuja and Mokwa is on the road and railway route to Lagos. This provides easy access to key markets for beef, dairy products, leather, animal feed, etc. Is there any reason why Mokwa is not a bustling and thriving market where goods produced in northern and southern Nigeria are exchanged on a daily basis?

[7] Mokwa Local Government Area alone has 4,338 km2. Yet it only has a population of 244,937. With such a low population density, it is perfectly suited for a mega cattle ranch, thr world’s largest sugarcane plantation, the biggest Shea nut plantation in the world and the largest cassava farm on planet earth. You could easily make Niger State the world’s largest producer of yam, cassava, maize, groundnuts, Shea nuts, sugarcane, millet, sorghum and mangoes with a little imagination

[8] Nothing for instance stops Governor Umar Bago of Niger State from founding a 5,000 sq km cattle ranch across Mokwa, Lagun and Mashegun local government areas tomorrow. Between them, they have 16,355 square kilometres of land

[9] It is totally unforgivable that Niger State is not home to three or four massive cattle ranches and a major producer of dairy products like meat, milk, leather, eggs, etc. Given that Niger State is also well connected by rail, you could easily move cattle from there across the country in rail wagons. Mokwa, Kutuwengi, Zungeru and Minna are all stations along the Lagos to Kano rail route that could serve as cattle loading points

[10] It is totally unacceptable that cities like Bida, Zungeru, Mokwa, Minna, Kotangora, etc are not homes to leather tanning factories, animal feed compounders, meat processing plants, dairy plants, sugarcane crushing facilities, etc. Niger State should be one big agro-processing factory