FG begins mass agricultural settlements project

…signs MoU with Nigeria state

Emma Ujah, Abuja Bureau Chief

The federal government has commenced a mass housing and farming settlements project to guarantee the security of rural communities and boost food production across the country.

The Minister of State for finance, Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite, signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the establishment of the first of such communities in Niger State, with the state Governor, Mohammed Bago, today in Abuja.

The MoU between the federal government and Niger State was for the implementation of farming settlement on a 100, 000-hectare land.

Dr. Uzoka-Anite described the MoU as, “a powerful demonstration of cooperative federalism, strategic alignment, and shared commitment to inclusive economic development, in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu Renewed Hope Agenda.”

She added, “With the Federal Ministry of Finance serving as the anchor, this initiative benefits from strong policy coordination, financial credibility, and institutional oversight at the highest level.

“Housing, as we know, is a fundamental pillar of development. But in Niger State, housing also intersects directly with agriculture, food security, rural stability, and economic productivity.

“This project is therefore deliberately designed not just as a housing intervention, but as a settlement framework for farmers, aimed at strengthening agricultural value chains and improving livelihoods across the state.”

The minister described Niger State as one of Nigeria’s most agriculturally endowed states but that, “challenges such as insecure settlements, rural-urban migration, and inadequate infrastructure continue to limit the full potential of our farming communities.

“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.”

She said, by anchoring farmers in stable communities with access to basic infrastructure, the project would 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, Dr. Uzoka-Anite said.

The project, she explained, “adopts an innovative financing model that blends public assets with private investment, ensuring sustainability, transparency, and shared risk. It allows government to focus on enabling policy and oversight, while leveraging the efficiency and scale of the private sector.

“Beyond its agricultural focus, the project promotes job security by creating stable, long-term employment across agriculture, agro-processing, renewable energy maintenance, logistics, and community services.

“The mass housing and settlement project will stimulate broad-based economic activity. It will create jobs for engineers, builders, artisans, suppliers, and service providers. It will support local industries such as cement, steel, agro-processing, logistics, and transportation.

“It will strengthen rural economies and contribute meaningfully to the state’s internally generated revenue.”

In his remarks, the Managing Director of the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI), Dr. Armstrong Takang, said funding was readily available for the project and that his organization was seeking partners across the nation for its implementation.

Governor Bago, in his response, promised to return to Abuja, on Monday with the Certificate of Occupancy of the 100, 000 hectares to enable immediate implementation.

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