The Niger State Government has called on the Dangote Group and other private investors to explore crude oil opportunities in the Bida Basin as part of efforts to expand industrial and energy investments in the state.
The appeal was made during a fireside session held on the Dangote Special Day at the recently concluded Niger National Trade Fair in Minna.
Commissioner for Trade, Investment, Industry and Private Sector Development, Aminu Takuma, said the state government was ready to work with private investors through a Joint Venture-Public Private Partnership arrangement aimed at unlocking the crude oil potential within the Bida Basin.
According to him, the state intends to retain only a minimal stake in the venture while allowing private operators to drive exploration and investment activities.
Takuma explained that the initiative is being coordinated under the state’s One-Stop-Shop investment platform designed to ease business entry and improve investor confidence.
He also praised the Dangote Group for its industrialisation drive across Nigeria, particularly the construction of the Dangote Petroleum Refinery, widely regarded as the world’s largest single-train refinery.
The commissioner said Niger State remained committed to policies that encourage investment, economic expansion and industrial development.
The Bida Basin has attracted increasing attention in recent years following geological reports suggesting the presence of commercially viable hydrocarbon deposits within parts of the North-Central region.
Although oil production has yet to begin in the basin, renewed exploration efforts in frontier basins across northern Nigeria have strengthened optimism around possible future discoveries.
Regional Director and Senior Adviser to Aliko Dangote, Fatima Wali Abdurrahman, described the Dangote Group as a natural partner to Niger State, pointing to the company’s investments in rice processing facilities located in Wushishi.
She commended Governor Umaru Bago for introducing investor-friendly policies aimed at boosting industrial growth, agriculture and infrastructure development in the state.
According to her, the company remains committed to deepening its partnership with the Niger State Government.
The trade fair attracted investors, policymakers and private sector operators from across the country as the state government continued efforts to position Niger as a major destination for investment in agriculture, mining, energy and manufacturing.
Analysts say the latest move reflects increasing interest by northern states in tapping into frontier oil exploration opportunities backed by the Federal Government’s renewed support for inland basin development.
Commissioners for homeland security and agriculture, as well as representatives of the Emir of Minna, also attended the event.
The Dangote Group served as the major sponsor of the trade fair.
