Niger State has allocated 500 hectares of land to Abuja Steel Mills Limited, a subsidiary of Raj Gupta's African Industries Group (AIG), for the construction of what the company says could become sub-Saharan Africa's largest solar-powered steel manufacturing facility, alongside a new industrial park.

The project will combine a large-scale steel manufacturing complex with a dedicated solar power plant and the proposed AIG Industrial Park, reflecting Nigeria's growing push to reduce manufacturers' dependence on the country's unreliable electricity grid.

Raj Gupta, Chairman of African Industries Group, described the land allocation as historic, saying the solar installation could become the largest in Nigeria and potentially the biggest supporting a steel operation anywhere in West Africa or sub-Saharan Africa.

The investment aligns with Governor Mohammed Umar Bago's broader ambition to position Niger State as Nigeria's next major industrial corridor. The governor announced plans to gazette an additional 200,000 hectares of industrial land stretching toward Kaduna State, leveraging the Ajaokuta–Kaduna–Kano (AKK) gas pipeline, abundant solar resources and the state's hydropower assets, including the Kainji, Jebba, Shiroro and Zungeru dams.

Steel Development Minister Shuaibu Audu praised African Industries for growing from a modest steel business into one of West Africa's largest producers, employing around 10,000 people across its operations. He linked the investment to the federal government's ambition of building a $1 trillion economy by 2030, with steel expected to play a central role.

Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment John Enoh said private-sector investments of this scale would be essential to reducing Nigeria's dependence on imported steel products while creating jobs and expanding local manufacturing.

Founded more than five decades ago, African Industries Group has grown into one of Nigeria's largest industrial conglomerates, operating more than 30 manufacturing plants across sectors including steel, mining, chemicals, glass and real estate, according to BillionairesAfrica.

Abuja Steel Mills, the African Industries subsidiary receiving the land, is expanding into utility-scale solar as it seeks to power steel production with renewable energy instead of relying on Nigeria's unreliable grid and costly diesel generators. If successful, the project could become a model for how energy-intensive manufacturers across Africa power industrial growth with cleaner, more reliable energy.