The Federal Government has inaugurated an Inter-Institutional Task Force to oversee the pilot phase of the Sustainable Integrated Productive Communities (SIPC) programme in Niger State, in a move aimed at strengthening coordination in national development efforts.
Minister of State for Finance, Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite, who inaugurated the task force at the Ministry of Finance, said Nigeria’s development setbacks are often the result of fragmented implementation rather than a lack of viable ideas.
“We have often approached development in silos—housing in one place, agriculture in another, and power projects elsewhere. The SIPC model changes that narrative,” she stated.
The SIPC programme is structured as an integrated ecosystem combining affordable housing, renewable energy, and mechanised agriculture within a single governance framework. The initiative seeks to establish “productive hubs” that bridge rural living with industrial-scale productivity, rather than standalone residential estates.
Dr. Uzoka-Anite said the task force will anchor the Niger State pilot on three pillars: governance and transparency, asset optimisation, and human-centric design.
Under the governance framework, the Federal Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI), Family Homes Funds, and the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) will operate under a unified implementation structure to ensure accountability and performance tracking.
Through MOFI, the government also plans to optimise public land assets, positioning them as balance-sheet instruments capable of attracting private equity and institutional investment to finance development sustainably.
The human-centric component of the programme prioritises dignified, affordable housing for farmers and small-scale processors, powered by clean energy solutions delivered in partnership with the REA.
Niger State was selected as the pilot location due to its expansive landmass and the state government’s commitment to agricultural and economic reform under Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago. The pilot is expected to serve as a proof of concept for federal-state collaboration in driving productivity-led growth.
Describing the task force as a “delivery engine,” the minister said the framework developed in Niger State would form the blueprint for nationwide implementation.
The SIPC initiative aligns with the Federal Government’s broader agenda to drive sustainable growth, strengthen infrastructure, and expand public-private partnerships across the federation.