Why Gov Bago is Man of the Moment

Governor Mohammad Bago of Niger State has been making waves, particularly in the area of food security. Bago’s recent speech at the 2023 annual Leadership Newspaper Conference and Awards held in Abuja garnered significant attention online. He had one clear message: Nigeria must harness its agricultural potential to achieve economic freedom and eradicate poverty.

In his speech, Bago emphasised two points. First, Nigeria cannot achieve true economic independence without leveraging its agricultural strengths. Second, Nigeria has the capability to feed its population and even export surplus produce. With both of these points, Bago urged Nigeria to embrace its agricultural heritage and move away from dependency on external aid.

Governor Bago’s commitment to food security is not just rhetoric. He has laid out an ambitious plan for Niger State to become a model of agricultural productivity. By June 2025, the state aims to deliver and distribute around 150,000 metric tons of grain, surpassing the federal government’s promise of 42,000 metric tons.

This initiative is part of a broader strategy to cultivate one million hectares of farmland, including a 50,000-hectare fully irrigated food production hub. The state has already procured over 500 large-capacity tractors, thousands of pieces of irrigation equipment, and substantial quantities of fertilisers, herbicides, pesticides, and fungicides.

Bago’s vision for Niger is rooted in a historical understanding of Nigeria’s economic development. Before the discovery of crude oil, the nation’s regions thrived on agriculture, with revenues from groundnuts, cocoa, and palm oil funding significant infrastructure projects. The governor clearly aims to revive this model, recognising that agriculture has a unique capacity to generate employment and wealth.

Calmly and gradually, Governor Bago is leading a revolution in food security in Niger. In more than one way, he is setting an example for other Nigerian states, one that encompasses productivity, self-reliance, and the importance of agriculture in economic development.