The Federal Ministry of Finance has signed a significant Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Niger State Government to develop a large-scale Mass Housing and Agricultural Settlement Project covering 100,000 hectares of land in the state.
Okay News reports that the agreement, formalised at a ceremony held on Friday at the Ministry of Finance headquarters in Abuja, represents a strategic collaboration to integrate housing development with agricultural productivity.
The initiative will be implemented by the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI) in partnership with the Niger State Government, under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Finance.
Minister of State for Finance Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite described the MoU as a prime example of cooperative federalism and alignment with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu‘s Renewed Hope Agenda.
She highlighted the intersection of housing with agriculture, food security, rural stability, and economic productivity, particularly in agrarian states like Niger.
Uzoka-Anite explained that the project is not merely a housing scheme but an integrated agricultural settlement framework designed to strengthen value chains and improve farmers’ livelihoods.
She pointed out that Niger State, despite its rich agricultural resources, faces challenges including insecure settlements, rural-urban migration, and inadequate infrastructure.
The initiative seeks to address these issues by providing secure, well-planned housing communities strategically located near farms, storage facilities, processing centres, and markets.
The minister expressed confidence that the project will send a clear signal to the investment community, demonstrating that Niger State, working with the Federal Ministry of Finance and MOFI, is open for credible, well-structured, and impact-driven investment opportunities.
She emphasised that the partnership combines housing, agriculture, finance, and governance to create stable farming communities, enhance food security, and lay foundations for sustained prosperity.
MOFI will contribute expertise in asset optimisation, project structuring, and private capital mobilisation, while an innovative financing model blending public assets with private investment will ensure transparency, sustainability, and shared risk.
The project is expected to generate employment for engineers, builders, artisans, suppliers, and service providers, while stimulating demand in sectors such as cement, steel, agro-processing, logistics, and transportation.
Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago welcomed the initiative, stressing the importance of balancing sustainability with affordability.
He pledged to provide 100,000 hectares of land, with the Certificate of Occupancy (C-of-O) to be delivered by Monday.
The governor noted that the project could address up to 80 per cent of challenges limiting the state’s agricultural potential and create organised grazing reserves for nomadic communities.
MOFI Managing Director and CEO Dr. Armstrong Ume Takang described the project as a model that meets investor expectations for structure and viability.
The initiative aims to tackle Nigeria’s persistent issues of food insecurity, rural poverty, and housing deficits by combining mass housing with agricultural settlements.
It could stabilise rural communities, improve farm productivity, reduce post-harvest losses, attract youth to agriculture, and ease urban pressure.
The MoU follows earlier calls by Finance Minister Wale Edun for adaptive agricultural strategies, including his remarks at the inaugural Agricultural Sector Working Group meeting in April 2025.
The Federal Government continues to emphasise sustainable food security through reforms and multi-sectoral collaboration.
 with the Niger State Government to develop a large-scale Mass Housing and Agricultural Settlement Project covering 100,000 hectares of land in the state.){kind=link}