By Musa Adamu
Abuja
A Polish based agro-machine company, Sleek Group Limited and its Nigerian partners, Shebag Holdings Limited, have concluded plans to set up an agricultural machines manufacturing factory in Nigeria.
According to the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC) the initial take-off value of the factory to be sited in Kaduna is $3 million with the growth expected to rise up to $200 million at the production stage.
It said the Kaduna stage government has already provided land where the factory is to be sited and will commence production of mechanised agricultural implements to grow the agricultural sector and its value chain in the country.
The commission said it was facilitating the investment into the country and was providing all the necessary support and services including hand-holding for the early and successful take-off of the factory in Kaduna.
While receiving the delegation on yesterday in Abuja, the Executive Secretary of the commission, Mrs. Uju Aisha Hassan Baba, who was represented by the Director of real sector department, Mr. Reuben Kifasi, noted that the diversification policy of the nation’s economy was gaining momentum with the smooth take–off of the factory in the country.
She said it would lead to the acquisition of mechanised farming tools which would in turn increase the agricultural production in the country.
She said the agricultural sector was considered a priority in the diversification programme of the present administration as it was the highest employer of labour and its value chain was enormous.
She commended the team for investing in the critical sector which had direct impact on the economy.
She promised the commission’s readiness to support and provide them with all the necessary support and assistance including the facilitation of all permits, certificate and registrations to enable the early take-off of the factory in Nigeria.
Earlier, the leader of delegation and the Nigerian counterpart, Sheriff Balogun, described his partners as very reliable and committed to setting up the factory as all necessary arrangements had been put in place.