Aliko Dangote, foremost Nigerian businessman is on the match again. This time, Dangote Group has acquired 16, 000 hectares of land for commercial farming in Kafin-Hausa Local Government Area of Jigawa State. Femi Afolabi, an official of the group, announced in Kafin-Hausa that the company would develop 15, 000 hectares for rice cultivation while 1, 000 hectares would be for a modern rice mill.

He explained that another 10, 000 hectares of land would also be developed for seed out-grower farm, adding that the measure was to encourage production of quality seed. The company will spend about $250 million on the project expected to generate about 50, 000 jobs. Afolabi said that $150 million was earmarked for rice cultivation in Kafin-Hausa while $100 million was for industrial sugarcane production in Kaugama.

He assured that the company would pay full compensation to farmers whose farmlands were taken over for the project, while the project would take off in the next three months as part of the company’s drive to boost rice production in the country