Three Years On: Governor Bago Rooted In Service Delivery, Driven By Good Governance

Niger State Governor, Farmer Mohammed Umaru Bago says his administration has, in the past three years, remained rooted in service delivery, driven by good governance.

Speaking on the agricultural revolution being passionately executed in the state, the Farmer Governor, noted that revitalising the sector has remained fundamental and a key driver to the economic growth, food security, and sustainable development of the state.

In a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Malam Bologi Ibrahim, Farmer Mohammed Umaru Bago said agriculture, as a key component of the New Niger Agenda, has been prioritised because of its comparative economic advantage to the state.

“We are aware of the enormous benefits and prosperity that revitalising the sector will bring to the state government and its people, hence we set out to implement policies that will enhance efficiency and increase productivity across all the agricultural value chains in the state”.

The Farmer Governor stated that, having identified agribusiness as the primary engine for economic growth and elevated living standards, the administration encouraged farmers to depart from the cumbersome traditional method to a modern approach by offering substantial assistance in essential agrochemical inputs, advanced agricultural implements, and high-yield seeds.

To transition from subsistence to mechanised farming, Farmer Umaru Bago disclosed that the state government procured over  Tractors, purchased and distributed farm inputs such as; Rice Millers, Power Tillers, De-stoners, Rice Transplanters, Water Pumps, improved seedlings, Fertilisers and provides training in sustainable farming practices to farmers across the three geopolitical zones in the state every farming season.

“We have partnered to acquire tractors, ploughs, and other industrial land preparation equipment to transition our farmers from subsistence to advanced mechanised farming. We also procured and distributed 100,000 bags of fertilizers each season and herbicides, pesticides, and fungicides to boost local crop yields”, he added.

The Farmer Governor disclosed that the state government has dedicated vast land resources for specific agricultural outputs, including 250,000 hectares for sugarcane production and 1.2 million hectares for ranching and livestock farming, even as it sunk over 5,000 tube wells and acquired 3,000 solar-powered water pumps to enable productive year-round, dry-season farming.

Farmer Umaru Bago stated that the state government’s directive to all 25 local government areas in the state to cultivate 10,000 hectares each has led to bumper harvests—including 1 million metric tonnes of corn in a single farming season.

Recently, the Niger State Ministry of Agriculture aligned with the First Lady of Nigeria’s Initiative of “Every Home a Garden” to achieve another bold step towards food security and economic prosperity.

It declared the 2026 farming season with the distribution of 250 75-horsepower tractors, with 10 allocated to each of the twenty-five local government areas of Niger State, and 50 combine harvesters aimed at drastically reducing post-harvest losses.

Others are thirty tonnes of assorted fertilisers to support over forty thousand smallholder farmers across the state and 1,500 mechanised farming implements, including planters, boom sprayers, ploughs, and harrows.

The Farmer Governor explained that the initiative is projected to create over 2,000 direct jobs and 100,0000 indirect jobs, while delivering an estimated yield of 500,000 tonnes of assorted food produce during both wet and dry farming seasons.

He stressed that the strategic investments are expected to support farming activities on over 120,000 hectares of land across the 25 local government areas, pointing out that the intervention forms part of a deliberate and integrated strategy to position Niger State at the forefront of Nigeria’s quest for food security and food sovereignty and that the

The Farmer Governor said his administration has, in the past three years, deployed an ingenious support system for artisanal farmers and small-scale agropreneurs, thereby building a resilient self-employment ecosystem.

He also revealed that the state’s agricultural reform has attracted interstate, private organisations and international partnerships from the Lagos State, Dangote Group, United States, United Kingdom, Germany, China, and Brazil, thereby securing over $1 billion in agricultural investments.

The Farmer Governor assured that his administration will remain committed to practical, people-centered governance, stressing that the agriculture revolution is already taking shape and that the target of feeding the nation is achievable.

“We are paving the way for the collective prosperity of our dear state and country, and agriculture is surely the catalyst for achieving that. We are inspired by the massive support of our people, and we believe the journey towards greatness has just began”, the Farmer Governor concluded.