[size=14pt]
I was talking to a friend the other day and I said Nigerians are so short sighted they tend to throw good money on bad apples. The next Economic Zone would not be in the Niger Delta OR Flood prone Lekki,  but the cities around the FCT which includes Suleija, Minna, and Bida. The Goverment of Niger State should seize this opportunity of making Minna the Ikeja of Abuja by connecting the City with the FCT. A three lane expressway might be the way forward, I am sure if he descretly asked the 2 Generals on top of the hill for some covert PPP help he would get it.

The new road would open up Minna and Bida in a triangular cornurbation to that very expensive Abuja. The middle classes would in their droves move out of the rotten surburbs of Abuja to more exclusive estates in Minna or Bida if there is infrastruture on the ground, I am sure the diaporas would follow suit.

It is sad to note that IBB is said to have an exclusive estate in Egypt while his own state wallows in abject under-development, whilst it is understandable for him not to invest directly,  common sense and the Nigerian wittyness in doing business should have made him know he can pull this off using the popular parlance of PPP

After all Tinibu and Fahola are good at doing this in Lagos and Odili/OBJ has pulled it off sucessfully with Arik which can be said to be one of the best airlines in Africa today.

The Minna Airport City is the first step in the realisation of this dream, but if Niger State wants to be number one spot in Nigeria it can be, already it has the Kainji dam, also the depleted Kainji Games Reserve which can be re-storked to rival what Nairobi has to offer the world, so also it has the Guarara Falls and Zuma Rock which can all be harmonized into one grand tourist adventure for the discerning tourist with a streak of adventure this could be a hell of a holiday experience.

Can someone please make me the Governor of Niger State and you will  see a new dubai rise from the Savannahs of Niger State, this over use and bastardize phrase will unfold b4 our very eyes. I am sure IBB's son is eyeing that post, and I will urge him to convince his dad to open his wallet and let things happen after all we aint gonna take it to heaven[/size]. 

The Minna Airport City see LINK

http://www.compassnewspaper.com/NG/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=45085:the-minna-airport-city-dream&catid=647:aviation&Itemid=707

http://www.worldarchitecturenews.com/index.php?fuseaction=wanappln.projectview&upload_id=11900


http://www.worldarchitecturenews.com/index.php?fuseaction=wanappln.commentview&comment_id=154

http://www.leadershipnigeria.com/news/business/13165-maevis-plans-aerotropolis-for-minna-airport

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and what happen to creating concrete jobs first

u got to be real for once

no need building office tower when there aren obvious need for it

and what happen to creating concrete jobs first

u got to be real for once

no need building office tower when there aren obvious need for it

[size=14pt]People should open their eyes to the money to made, investors go to where they can make a fast buck. All the Niger state Goverment has to do is connect the isolation of Minna to the prosperity of ABUJA by building a 3 lane expressway acting as an umblical cord which would be transfering wealth from the mother City which is Abuja to the latter Minna and Bida.

If that is done all lands between the 2 or 3 cities on both side of the road would become gold mines for Investors, who will go all out to build new estates and other development projects as deem fit. This would bump Niger State's tax receipt up putting more money in the coffers of the Goverment.

Nigerians both at home and abroad are looking 4 exclusive enclave where they can live in peace with their families. The only reason why Lekki is roaring was the initial opening of the VI to Epe route hence the rest is History. The Gorverment must be visionary in its approach and every other thing would fall in place.

Dont forget Abuja's population grew from 200,000 in 1993 to almost 2 million today, u ask me where are the jobs coming from.

[/size]

if like you suggested, Minna and Bida are the next wealth destinations, i believe investors would have instinctly trooped in the droves to the areas irrespective of the presence of the proposed 3 lane highway.

The first question to ask is if Abuja is truly a gold mine. The last time i checked the answer is still a No. Abuja's economy rely absolutely on the goverment. Most workers in abuja are civil servants. No wonder social activitives are at the lowest ebb during weekends.

Abuja does not have any economic stay. No water ways. No abundant natural resources to explore. No world class tourist attreactions, no productive sector activities. Abuja relies on other states for its sustenance. Why do you think investors prefers either to go to Lagos or port-Harcourt, why do we have 25 head offices of the banks in Nigeria located in Lagos. Investors will take their money to only places where returns and economic activities are guaranteed.

If Abuja cant stand on itself, what then do you expect of Minna and Bida ?

Nice article, but it surely does have it's deficiencies.

For one, Abuja is not an economic hub. It has almost no economic base besides being the political capital where money is shared.
Before other cities can tie their futures to Abuja, Abuja would have to secure for itself an economy.
For instance, the FCT in which Abuja is located has a size of 8000 Sq Km. The city of Abuja occupies just about 400 sq Km leaving off 7600 sq km unused.

What I think Minna should do is to seek to create an industrial economy that would use Abuja as its key dumping ground for the products it would manufacture. That would serve Minna better than it seeking to play second fiddle to the Abuja Property market as you suggest. Similar to how Ogun state has Ota and Agbara Industrial areas serving Lagos.

@Lagbaja
Right on point.

f like you suggested, Minna and Bida are the next wealth destinations, i believe investors would have instinctly  trooped in the droves to the areas irrespective of the presence of the proposed 3 lane highway.

The first question to ask is if Abuja is truly a gold mine. The last time i checked the answer is still a No. Abuja's economy rely absolutely on the goverment. Most workers in abuja are civil servants. No wonder social activitives are at the lowest ebb during weekends.

Abuja does not have any economic stay. No water ways. No abundant natural resources to explore. No world class tourist attreactions, no productive sector activities. Abuja relies on other states for its sustenance. Why do you think investors prefers either to go to Lagos or port-Harcourt, why do we have 25 head offices of the banks in Nigeria located in Lagos. Investors will take their money to only places where returns and economic activities are guaranteed.

If Abuja cant stand on itself, what then do you expect of Minna and Bida ?

[size=14pt]You belong to the old school, there are a whole swarth of nigerians who have never lived in Lagos b4, this was unheard off when I was growing up. Anybody who is anybody in Nigeria must have an Intrest in Lagos in those days not anymore. Face it Lagos by the hour and every minute is becoming less relevant to many Nigerians especially the Political Class who fly from thier State Capitals to Abuja and from ABUJA TO London, Dubai and Jeddah. The HOUSE Prices in Abuja is only matched by Ikoyi and soon Abuja would surpass Ikoyi, making it the most expensive real estate in the whole of Africa.

Ikeja was opened up because of the Ikorodu Road Linkking the hub of activities in Lagos Island with the hinterland in Ikeja, SO was Lekki, it is a known fact if u build good quality roads, investment , capital and business would follow in tandem. Niger State is a minefield,  a good Governor would harnessed the moneyed men in Abuja with the isolation in the cities of Minna and Bida by providing incentive and bridging the ecomonic activities in Abuja with the serene, quite living and countryside living which is non existent in Nigeria. Today in Nigeria we don't have exclusive estates in the country, where the Rich would have a country pile like what obtains in the WEST. Niger State can sell this ideal living to our over paid Senators and Reps men who after official bisiness from Monday to Friday can go to thier country pile and have a good rest.  

Our business men, head of Banks can be sold the same idea, I don't see Lagos being the HQ of Banks in the near future, it would continue to generate more econmic activities for the foreseeable future thus

Lagos has got a lot bad press of recent, I predict the Rich would soon leave that City in droves if the Cowboys in Niger State can get their act together, they are in a stronger position to woo those moneyed men from Lagos, IBB must open his purse and start to make things happen in his state. He took the bull by the horn moving the Capital in 1991, we are now in stage 2. The porverty in Lagos is so awesome that any progress or wealth pales into insignificant, Abuja is a virgin land and Niger State a virgin state, we can create the kind of enviroment we always aspire to live in those vast empty savannah.

By building industrial Estates in these Cities, making sure electricity is constant, and because the whole area is in the middle of the country it would mean this can also act as the transportation hub of the nation.

[/size]

apart from the good points raised by papabrowne and lagbaja

who will fund this 3 lane express?. . will it be tolled?. . and will the users agree to pay that toll?

Cause i dont think Niger state can afford it. . .such an express road will probably cost north of $1billion to build

i dont think Niger state budget is up to N90billion this yr,but i could be wrong

[size=14pt]As we speak Niger State has already awarded a contract for the dualisation of the Minna - Suleija - Abuja Road, If they can built 2 lanes on both sides on their own now, I don't see why they would not be able to add an extra lane making it 3 lanes on both sides. They have no plans of tolling as the economic activities it would generate would surpass any toll collected. A toll could backfire as it would stall investors.
[/size]

http://www.leadershipnigeria.com/news/headlines/14591-niger-govt-to-dualize-minna-abuja-road

Niger state Goverment thinking of dualizing Minna - Abuja Road.

[size=14pt]Country houses a rarity in Nigeria.
[/size]



http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://www.hidden-ireland.com/images/luxury-country-houses-in-ireland.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.hidden-ireland.com/luxury-country-houses-in-ireland.htm&usg=__pFAm3QfxXHu53ZoBJKzR0wvsKOY=&h=414&w=344&sz=36&hl=en&start=1&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=0VAiE7X0oonlPM:&tbnh=125&tbnw=104&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dcountry%2Bhouses%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26sa%3DN%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-GB:official%26channel%3Ds%26tbs%3Disch:1



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http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://www.property.pt/images/country2.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.property.pt/buying-country-houses-in-portugal.html&usg=__ARB-3LAlNMf51U7khoInOf_MeaE=&h=300&w=300&sz=22&hl=en&start=9&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=hbgcKEMO6f8yYM:&tbnh=116&tbnw=116&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dcountry%2Bhouses%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26sa%3DN%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-GB:official%26channel%3Ds%26tbs%3Disch:1



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The Only places I believe have vast infrastructure potential are

1) The middle belt- esp Kogi
2) Southwest states- oyo of course, upper Ondo,  upper parts of Ogun (ijebu,sagamu,abeokuta) of course possibly osun and ekiti- if planning is right
3) some South east states- ebonyi and enugu- if planned right

basically I dont see much states being a place to live but rather a place for Gas and Oil honestly.

The south has many things wrong with it mangroves, wetlands and swamps, high population density- small land mass, land erosion, Floods - I dont see middle class families moving around those areas.

sjeezy8:

The Only places I believe have vast infrastructure potential are

1) The middle belt- esp Kogi
2) Southwest states- oyo of course, upper Ondo,  upper parts of Ogun (ijebu,sagamu,abeokuta) of course possibly osun and ekiti- if planning is right
3) some South east states- ebonyi and enugu- if planned right

basically I dont see much states being a place to live but rather a place for Gas and Oil honestly.

The south has many things wrong with it mangroves, wetlands and swamps, high population density- small land mass, land erosion, Floods - I dont see middle class families moving around those areas.

Always spewing forth warped logic. Are the middle class people already living and investing heavily in Warri, PH, ABA, Nnewi, Onitsha, Uyo, Calabar and Yenagoa ( all places prone to flooding or erosion) all ghost?

Nchara:

Always spewing forth warped logic. Are the middle class people already living and investing heavily in Warri, PH, ABA, Nnewi, Onitsha and Yenagoa ( all places prone to flooding or erosion) all ghost?

I dont any of non-indigenous people in those places who live and work in those areas[b] MAJORITY outside of Gas and Oil industry.[/b]

I have family that live in the SE and SS but they are either NDeltans (from those areaS) or non- deltans WORKING IN THE OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY.

can you please name anything worth living in the ND outside of Oil and Gas (mind you everyone cant work in the Oil and gas industry)- waiting. . . .

Mind you I said Southern nigeria including parts Ogun and Ondo.

sjeezy8:

I dont any of non-indigenous people in those places who live and work in those areas[b] MAJORITY outside of Gas and Oil industry.[/b]

I have family that live in the SE and SS but they are either NDeltans (from those areaS) or non- deltans WORKING IN THE OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY.

can you please name anything worth living in the ND outside of Oil and Gas (mind you everyone cant work in the Oil and gas industry)- waiting. . . .

sjeezy8:

Mind you I said Southern nigeria including parts Ogun and Ondo.

As foolish and childish as ever. Is there any oil production in Aba, Onitsha, Nnewi, Calabar. Is everyone in PH, Warri and Yenagoa working in the oil and gas industry? Moreover, if non indigenes for their personal reasons refuse to invest in those places, has that stopped indigenes from doing so? I also know that many non-indigenes invest in these cities. We have seen those topics here on nairaland. OR are you implying that only oil and gas workers are in the middle class in these places?

I may not Agree with the 3 lane expressway thought Laudable
But a Light Rail should be better from the Airport City which in turn should also have link to other parts(not VERY necessary and a 3 lane expressway should be built to roads leading to places from the airport,
In Kaduna millenium City, A Rail is being planned and will be built from the new city to Abuja Directly and if you notice the road to the city is and fro to oda places from the city is tarred,

Nchara:

As foolish and childish as ever. Is there any oil production in Aba, Onitsha, Nnewi, Calabar. Is everyone in PH, Warri and Yenagoa working in the oil and gas industry? Moreover, if non indigenes for their personal reasons refuse to invest in those places, has that stopped indigenes from doing so? I also know that many non-indigenes invest in these cities. We have seen those topics here on nairaland. OR are you implying that only oil and gas workers are in the middle class in these places?

Im implying that the Oil and Gas industry is what people migrate to those areas for.

when I said Oil and Gas obviously I was talking about the CITIES in which the industry is relevant.

Nchara:

Moreover, if non indigenes for their personal reasons refuse to invest in those places, has that stopped indigenes from doing so?

I dont know- you tell me. lol All the elite and emerging middle families I know from those areas are busy living in other places around Nigeria.

like I said.

The south has many things wrong with it mangroves, wetlands and swamps, high population density- small land mass, land erosion, Floods - I dont see middle class families moving around those areas.

Thats just how it goes. Part of life get over it, geographical environments often effect decisions on where to invest.

Areas that are prone to mangroves, wetlands and swamps, high population density- small land mass, land erosion, Floods arent good places to invest in Esp in Africa.

^^^^^^
Despite the migration, millions of people are still living in these places and making their millions? If anything, the migration may be towards Lagos which we know is also prone to severe flooding and ocean-front erosion. So what are you talking about? However, migration is also towards the oil hubs and commercial cities across the Niger; the extent may be different.

The North suffers from desertification and flooding, much as the south suffers from erosion and flooding. Obviously you know little of the different environmental concerns in Nigeria.

he North suffers from desertification and flooding, much as the south suffers from erosion and flooding. Obviously you know little of the different environmental concerns in Nigeria.


[size=14pt]The middle belt areas of Nigeria have the best weather, they don't have excessive rains like southern states nor the dersertification of the far north in fact they are bread basket of the nation.[/size]

[size=14pt]Baro is a river port on the Niger River which is being dredge as we speak, this port can have a train link between Baro Port and any industrial Estates built in Bida, Minna, Suleija AND Abuja. I think the region has everything going for it, they just need a governor like Fashola at the helms of affair who would co-ordinate all these plans into one huge development plan.[/size]

There is erosion and flooding also in the middle belt. Moreover potential volcanic eruptions around Lake Nyos (a volcanic lake) in nearby cameroun will affect Taraba and some other middle belt states located eastwards of the country.

I hope seemingly loudmouths from the suburbs around Abuja would not later inform us how the governor of Niger State single-handedly developed Abuja.

Airport City: Niger State on world stage

Written by Danladi Ndayebo Tuesday, 20 December 2011 05:00

The trip to the 2011 World Infrastructure Summit which ended penultimate Friday in Paris, France was an eye-opener of sort to the delegation from Nigeria. Although Governor Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu of Niger State and his Rivers State counterpart, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi received awards for engendering fundamental shift in the economies of their states, participants from Nigeria discovered that the country was deficient in the industrialization strategies it adopted in the past to create long term sustainable change in the economy.

Nigeria, for instance, learnt that several countries that have made economic progress did so through robust Public Private Partnerships (PPPs), for the simple reason that investments in infrastructure usually require huge financial resources which are beyond the capacity of states’ budgets. In other words, the delegation from Nigeria learnt that governments have no business running businesses.

Niger and Rivers States however presented impressive proposals that will leap frog the states’ economies and put them on the path of development. While Gov Amaechi spoke on his plan to regenerate the state capital through the Greater Port Harcourt City initiative, the Niger State’s helmsman briefed investors on plans to build an airport city in Minna, the state capital.

Governor Aliyu informed that the development of the state will initially be focused on the development of economic zones that will incorporate an industrialization strategy around Minna. The vision is to create the Minna Airport City (MAC) as the platform for the economic development. The area of the site is a zone of approxi¬mately 42km x 42km, which stretches from Suleja in the east to Bida in the west, with Minna at its centre.

Aliyu’s vision stems from the realisation that airports are shaping businesses and urban development in this century as much as seaports did in the 18th century, railways did in the 19th century and highways in the 20th cen¬tury.

MAC, when built, will be the first of its kind in Nigeria in terms of its layout, infra¬structure and economy. It will be centred around the existing airport on the outskirts of Minna and will be a well planned city that will become a benchmark in urban planning.

Investors from TAV Airports were particularly stimulated by the favourable conditions that already exist. Investors were glad to know the state has vast water resources that support three hydroelectric power stations; Kainji, Shiroro and Jebba and the fact that an estimated 80% of the land area of the state is suitable for agriculture and the range of crops species that can be produced is wide given the soil texture and climatic con¬ditions.

Interestingly, only 25% of the state’s 682,331 hectares of arable land has been developed for agriculture. So,an Airport City will improve the potential for the development of Agriculture.

There was also a congruence of thought among participants that airports have become key for the economic development and competi¬tiveness of countries throughout the world. It was agreed that even though the Airport City concept is recent, it has become significant generators and nuclei for urban development and economic regen¬eration.

Airport Cities, Dr Aliyu explained, are a recent phenomenon, where the expansion of the airport triggers the expansion of the surrounding business areas linked by new, fast and efficient transport links. Whereas airports were originally built to perform one function, they are now cities in them¬selves with significant retail provision acting as employment centres and generators of significant wealth. As the airports have expanded and the nature of their business evolved, their peripheries have developed to include major manufacturing and business centres.

Due to its topographically tested existing location, Minna Airport can be developed in a similar manner to airports in Europe, USA and the Far East. It has the potential to become a node for new industries and eco¬nomic development. National and international companies will want to re-locate there, due to its proximity to the international links afforded by the airport and also the nearby Minna City and Abuja. There is also potential for the airport to become a new cargo hub for Western Africa in the same way that Dallas Fort Worth airport has expanded to become the major distribution centre for USA.

Together with the development and expansion of the airport, the wealth of good arable land around the airport allows agri-business to be developed in tandem. The route of the new fast rail link required between the airport and Abuja will also allow for additional stations linking new commercial and business districts with the airport.

There is no doubt that the Minna Airport City project being actualised through the cooperation of Maevis-Cortis Capital will take Niger State and Nigeria to the next level.

Ndayebo is Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Niger State.

Good idea but don't you guys think it's better to settle the security issue especially around Suleja before embarking on such monumental projects.

If Nigerians are looking for the Next Economic Hub, Lokoja in Kogi State comes to my Mind i once mentioned in this forum that The Next economic Hub after Lagos will be Lokoja , infact Nigeria should make Lokoja the new Economic Capital.

Kogi is Mutlingual unlike Minna , Kogi has igbo, yoruba and hausa represented and Mulbillion firms like Ajaokuta steel , Obajana cement. IF the Dredging of Nige River and its closenes to Abuja Kogi (lokoja) has all it take to be a new Business Hub , it could be linked with high speed train link to Abuja so that Abuja can be 20 to 30 minutes from Abuja instead of the present 2 hours