The First Lady of Nigeria, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu, has inaugurated the 2026 farming season and flagged off the distribution of mechanisation support equipment to farmers across the 25 local government areas of Niger State.
The inauguration, which attracted many dignitaries, including ministers, the national leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC), members of the State Executive Council, development partners, and stakeholders in the agricultural sector, was held at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Airport, Minna.
The agricultural implements distributed include 250 tractors, 50 combine harvesters, 150,000 bags of fertiliser, 1,500 planters, ploughs, boom sprayers, and harrows aimed at strengthening mechanised farming and enhancing productivity across the state.
Speaking at the event, the wife of the President commended the Farmer Governor of Niger State for his bold agricultural transformation initiatives, noting that the state has firmly established itself as one of Nigeria’s leading agricultural hubs.
She observed that the intervention represents a deliberate shift from subsistence farming to modern, mechanised, and commercially driven agriculture capable of stimulating economic growth, creating employment opportunities, and guaranteeing food security.
According to her, the initiative is not only about increasing food production but also about building a sustainable agricultural value chain that will support processing, storage, transportation, marketing, and export opportunities for agricultural produce.
Sen. Oluremi Tinubu stated that the mechanisation programme would empower farmers with the necessary tools to improve yields, reduce post-harvest losses, enhance household incomes, and contribute significantly to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
She added that the initiative aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, particularly in the areas of food availability, affordability, economic diversification, and rural development.
The First Lady congratulated farmers across the state and urged them to make judicious use of the equipment and inputs provided while embracing modern farming technologies and best agricultural practices.
Farmer Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago said the investment in agriculture by his administration is targeted at supporting farming activities on over 120,000 hectares of land across the 25 local government areas of the state.
He disclosed that the initiative is expected to generate over 3,000 direct and indirect jobs and produce an estimated 500,000 metric tons of assorted food products during both wet and dry farming seasons annually.
The Governor explained that beyond primary production, the intervention is strategically designed to stimulate the entire agricultural value chain, including mechanised land preparation, input supply, irrigation farming, aggregation, processing, packaging, storage, logistics, and market access.
He added that the large-scale investment will also encourage agro-processing industries, attract private sector participation, strengthen commodity export potential, and create opportunities for youth and women participation in agriculture-related enterprises.
Governor Bago stated that since the commencement of agricultural mechanisation in the state, remarkable progress has been recorded, stressing that agriculture remains a top priority of his administration in its quest to position Niger State as the food basket and agro-industrial hub of Nigeria.
He further revealed that the state government will expand irrigation infrastructure to support all-year-round farming and establish effective off-take mechanisms for farm produce through strategic partnerships and commodity market systems.
The Farmer Governor called on farmers, investors, development partners, and other stakeholders to collaborate with the Niger Foods Security Systems and Logistics Limited in achieving the state’s agricultural transformation targets.
He also appealed to the First Lady to sustain her support for Niger State by facilitating more agricultural investments capable of unlocking the vast untapped potentials in the sector for national development.
The APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, applauded the initiative and expressed confidence that Niger State would emerge as a major food security and agro-processing hub, especially with the ongoing Sokoto-Badagry Super Highway project expected to improve transportation and market connectivity.
Also speaking, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris Malagi, described agriculture as critical to the nation’s economic stability and said the Federal Government is implementing policies aimed at ensuring the sector contributes more significantly to national GDP growth.
Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, said the Federal Government is strengthening partnerships with states and stakeholders to boost food production nationwide, adding that Niger State is providing strong leadership in agricultural productivity due to its vast arable land.
Chairman of Niger Foods Security Systems and Logistics, Mr. Sammy Adigun, said the state’s enormous agricultural potential places it in a strategic position to drive food production, agro-processing, and export development.
He explained that Niger Foods, as a special purpose vehicle of the state government, is collaborating with technical and financial partners to cultivate large expanses of land through mechanisation and integrated value-chain systems.
The Commissioner for Agriculture, Alhaji Isah Sidi Rijau, said the intervention aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda and the Federal Government’s food security objectives, assuring that the state will continue to complement national efforts toward achieving food sufficiency and sovereignty.
The Secretary to the Niger State Government (SSG), Abubakar Usman, described the event as a major milestone in the agricultural mechanisation programme of the Bago administration, reflecting its commitment to modernising agriculture, increasing productivity, empowering farmers, and strengthening agribusiness development.
The Etsu Nupe and Chairman of the Niger State Council of Traditional Rulers, Yahaya Abubakar, represented by the Emir of Agaie, Yusuf Nuhu, described the intervention as timely and impactful, noting that it would significantly address food insecurity, improve livelihoods, and stimulate economic activities across rural communities.
