Kogi, Kuwait open development partnership on water, agriculture, energy, minerals

By Ezurike Ugochukwu

Kogi State and key institutions in Kuwait have opened discussions on a development partnership covering water infrastructure, agriculture, energy, solid minerals and other priority sectors as Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo led a high-level state delegation to Kuwait.

The engagement is aimed at attracting development financing, technical expertise and strategic partnerships for the implementation of the Kogi State Development Plan 2024–2056, with technical teams expected to advance the discussions towards project preparation and appraisal.

At the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED), Ododo and his delegation met with the Acting Director-General, Rashaid A. Al-Bader, and senior officials of the Fund, where the governor presented Kogi’s development vision and outlined areas in which the state is seeking international cooperation.

Ododo said the state was seeking a comprehensive, long-term partnership capable of transforming its natural and human resources into sustainable economic opportunities.

He identified Kogi’s strategic location, extensive water resources, agricultural potential, solid minerals and emerging energy opportunities as assets that could support job creation, food security, industrialisation and improved living standards when backed by appropriate infrastructure and technical expertise.

The Kuwait Fund expressed readiness, in principle, to work with Kogi on priority development projects, subject to the required technical, financial and institutional appraisal processes.

The proposed areas of cooperation include water infrastructure, irrigation and agricultural transformation, power and renewable energy, solid minerals and beneficiation, agro-industrial development, transport, communications and ICT, education and healthcare.

The partnership discussions are also expected to cover project preparation, feasibility studies, engineering designs, technical assistance, institutional capacity development and environmental and social assessments.

Ododo said the identified sectors were interconnected, explaining that improved water infrastructure would strengthen communities and agriculture, while irrigation would expand all-season farming.

He added that reliable energy would support agro-processing and industrialisation, while mineral beneficiation would enable Kogi to retain greater value from its natural resources.

Beyond development financing, the delegation engaged Kuwait University on possible collaboration in education, research, innovation, engineering, agriculture, water-resource management and technology.

At the university, Ododo met its President, Prof Dina Musaed Al-Mailem, with both sides exploring opportunities for knowledge exchange, research collaboration and capacity development between Kuwait University and tertiary institutions in Kogi State.

The delegation also met the Governor of Al Ahmadi Governorate, Sheikh Humoud Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, to explore a possible sister-government relationship and cooperation in infrastructure, investment, industry and development experience.

In another engagement, the delegation met Kuwait’s Minister of Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy, Dr Subaih Abdulaziz Al-Mukhaizeem, to discuss water infrastructure, irrigation, renewable energy, power development and technical cooperation.

The discussions are particularly relevant to Kogi’s plans to expand irrigation, promote all-season agriculture, develop agro-processing and establish reliable energy infrastructure to support industrial growth.

The mission also opened discussions on commerce, investment, industrial cooperation and value addition, with Kogi seeking stronger economic linkages between the state and Kuwaiti businesses and institutions.

A major outcome of the visit is the establishment of a technical process to advance the understandings reached during the engagements.

The technical teams are expected to undertake project documentation, feasibility and technical assessments and other preparatory work required to translate the discussions into concrete development projects.

Ododo expressed appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the Federal Government’s diplomatic support and the enabling environment for subnational governments to engage development and investment partners internationally.

He also commended the Nigerian Embassy in Kuwait, led by Ambassador Abubakar Sanusi Aliyu, for facilitating and supporting the engagements.

The governor said the Kuwait mission represented a transition from high-level discussions to detailed technical work aimed at developing sustainable partnerships that would help Kogi unlock its potential in water, agriculture and irrigation, energy, education and research, solid minerals, commerce and industrial development.

Members of the delegation included the Commissioner for Finance, Budget and Economic Planning, Asiwaju Asiru Idris, FCA; Commissioner for Works, Hon. Momoh Ozigi Deedat; Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Hon. Timothy Ojomah; Commissioner for Water Resources, Hon. Farouk Danlami; State Auditor-General, Hon. Yakubu Yusuf Okala; and Chief Economic Adviser to the Governor, Hon. Nda Salami