Kogi State Governor, Ahmed Usman Ododo, has led a high-level delegation to Kuwait to attract affordable development financing, technical expertise, and strategic partnerships for the implementation of the Kogi State Development Plan 2024–2056. The mission aims to unlock financing for various sectors, including water, agriculture, energy, education, minerals, and industrial development. This move is expected to transform the state's natural and human resources into sustainable economic opportunities.
During the visit, Governor Ododo and his delegation met with the Acting Director-General of the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED), Mr. Rashaid A. Al-Bader, and senior officials of the Fund. The Governor presented Kogi's development vision and outlined the state's priority areas for international cooperation. Kogi's strategic location, extensive water resources, agricultural potential, solid minerals, and emerging energy opportunities were highlighted as assets that could support job creation, food security, industrialisation, and improved living standards.
The Kuwait Fund expressed readiness, in principle, to work with Kogi State on priority development projects, subject to the required technical, financial, and institutional appraisal processes. The emerging partnership will focus on 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 proposed cooperation will also cover project preparation, feasibility studies, engineering designs, technical assistance, institutional capacity development, and environmental and social assessments.
Governor Ododo explained that the areas of focus were interconnected, noting that improved water infrastructure would strengthen communities and agriculture, irrigation would expand all-season farming, reliable energy would support agro-processing and industrialisation, while mineral beneficiation would enable Kogi to retain greater value from its natural resources. The Governor and his delegation also held discussions with Kuwait University on collaboration in education, research, innovation, engineering, agriculture, water-resource management, and technology.
The delegation met with the President of Kuwait University, Prof. Dina Musaed Al-Mailem, to explore opportunities for knowledge exchange, research collaboration, and capacity development between Kuwait University and tertiary institutions in Kogi State. Additionally, the delegation met with the Governor of Al Ahmadi Governorate, His Excellency Sheikh Humoud Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, to explore a sister-government relationship and cooperation in infrastructure, investment, industry, and development experience.
The mission also opened discussions around commerce, investment, industrial cooperation, and value addition, with the State seeking stronger economic linkages between Kogi and Kuwaiti businesses and institutions. A major outcome of the visit is the establishment of a technical process to drive the agreements and understandings reached during the engagements. The teams will undertake project documentation, feasibility and technical assessments, and other preparatory work required to translate the discussions into concrete development projects.
Governor Ododo expressed appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the Federal Government's diplomatic support and enabling environment for subnational governments to engage development and investment partners internationally. He also commended the Nigerian Embassy in Kuwait, led by Ambassador (Dr.) Abubakar Sanusi Aliyu, for facilitating and supporting the engagements. The Governor said the Kuwait mission represents a transition from high-level discussions to detailed technical work aimed at developing sustainable partnerships that will help Kogi unlock its potential in various sectors.
Key points
- Kogi State secures development partnership with Kuwait to unlock financing for water, agriculture, energy, education, minerals, and industrial development.
- The partnership will focus on priority development projects, including water infrastructure, irrigation, power, and renewable energy.
- The mission marks a transition from high-level discussions to detailed technical work to develop sustainable partnerships between Kogi and Kuwait.
