Lagos govt, Niger State sign MoU on food production, security

The Lagos State Government has a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Niger State Government on the enhancement of food production and security in the country.

The governors of the two states, Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos) and Mohammed Umar Bago (Niger), in Lagos on Wednesday, March 6, 2024, signed the MoU for cooperation geared towards exploring their comparative advantages to facilitate the constant supply of agricultural commodities for the end consumers.

Speaking on the signing, Sanwo-Olu said: “We have just put the pen to paper and signed the government-to-government agreement between Lagos and Niger states for agricultural production.

“Lagos, being the smallest state in terms of landmass, and Niger, being the largest state, is no coincidence that the biggest and the smallest are looking for opportunities for citizens of both states to be the beneficiaries of this historic partnership.”

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On his part, Bago described the partnership as “a landmark” for both parties, noting that the North Central state was willing to leverage organised market in Lagos to boost economic activities in his state.

The governor said: “This is a landmark agreement that has been made today. Lagos is the largest consumer of agricultural resources in the country based on its population, while Niger State has the largest agricultural land.

“So, this Memorandum of Understanding came on the heels of exploring the strength of each state to promote food security and safety.

“Niger State is to produce agricultural commodities for Lagos State, and also process staple food items. Lagos State is to leverage the organised market and supply chain to meet consumers’ demands. This is basically the simple explanation of the Memorandum of Understanding, which is in tandem with Mr. President’s food security agenda.”

Some of the agricultural commodities to be produced and shipped to Lagos markets include staple foods, rice paddies, tubers, beans, legumes, maize, and grains.

The Star