Nigeria Signs $523,823 TA Agreement Grant With Islamic Devt Bank.

Nigeria has signed a $523,823 (N185,957,165 million) Technical
Assistant Agreement grant with the Islamic Development Bank (ISDB)
Group in Marrakesh, Morocco.

The Minister of Finance, Mrs Zainab Ahmed, disclosed this on
Sunday in a statement by her Special Adviser on Media and
Communications, Mr Paul Abechi.

According to the statement, the minister signed the agreement on
behalf of the Nigerian Government while and President of the ISDB
Group, Dr Bandar Hajjar, signed on behalf of the group.

The signing took place during the 44th ISDB Group Annual Meeting
held in Marrakesh, with the theme, ‘Transformation In A
Fast-Changing World: The Road To SDGs’.

Mrs Ahmed explained that the TA agreement grants would be used
to address capacity building and equipment, as well as logistics
upgrade in the Hajj Commission.

She added that it was also aimed at the improvement of cotton,
textile and garment value chain in the Federal Ministry of
Industry, Trade and Investment.

The minister revealed that the National Hajj Commission of
Nigeria (NAHCON) would get $243,823.0, while the Federal Ministry
of Industry, Trade and Investment would receive $280,000.

“The Technical Assistant Agreement Grant of $243,823.0 to the
National Hajj Commission of Nigeria is for capacity
building/equipment and logistics upgrade,” she said.

“TA grant of $280,000 to the Federal Ministry of Industry Trade
and Investment is for the improvement of cotton, textile and
garment value chain.”

Mrs Ahmed told participants at the conference that the
governments at the state level in Nigeria were doing their best to
boost agriculture and food production.

She said, “State governments in Nigeria are adopting cluster
farming which has eased access to funds by farmers, increased
growth and allows access to facilities without collateral.”