The Katsina State Government, the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Tropical General Investments (TGI) Group, and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to provide livelihoods for 600 displaced and host community families.
The agreement was signed at the Katsina State House in the presence of Governor Dikko Umar Radda, Federal Minister for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr. Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda, TGI Group Vice Chairman, Farouk Gumel, and UNHCR Representative in Nigeria, Arjun Jain.
The initiative, called Livelihoods for Improved Futures for Everyone (LIFE), is the first collaboration of its kind in Nigeria, bringing together government, the private sector, and the UN to address forced displacement. As part of the program, the Katsina State Government has allocated 600 hectares of land to help displaced families rebuild their lives, with host communities also benefiting from the project.
Governor Radda emphasized the state’s commitment to creating safe spaces for displaced communities, noting that this initiative provides families with the opportunity to live in dignity and regain financial independence. Minister Yilwatda highlighted the project’s potential to stabilize families through dry-season irrigation, helping them generate income and strengthening food security, especially during difficult periods.
TGI Group will support the farmers with technical training, agricultural inputs, and zero-interest loans, while guaranteeing to purchase their produce. Farouk Gumel, Vice Chairman of TGI, explained that the company’s longstanding work with smallholder farmers across Nigeria aligns with their belief that rural inclusion is essential for national economic development.
UNHCR will install solar-powered irrigation systems to support year-round farming and train communities to manage the systems independently. Arjun Jain expressed optimism about the project, noting that with around 3.5 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Nigeria — including 250,000 in Katsina — solutions like this are urgently needed.
Katsina, under Governor Radda’s leadership, has already taken proactive measures by integrating displaced persons into host communities rather than placing them in camps. This initiative builds on that approach, promoting long-term sustainability through agriculture and creating a model that could be replicated across other states dealing with displacement.
With ongoing support from regulatory bodies and development partners, the LIFE project aims to provide lasting solutions for displaced families while boosting local food production and reducing unemployment.
