02/05/2026
FIRST LADY OF NIGERIA, SEN. OLUREMI TINUBU, FLAGS OFF 2026 FARMING SEASON AND DISTRIBUTION OF MECHANISATION SUPPORT EQUIPMENT TO FARMERS IN NIGER STATE.
The First Lady of Nigeria, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu, has inaugurated the 2026 farming season and 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, and stakeholders in agriculture, was held at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Airport in Minna.
The implements inaugurated were 250 tractors, 50 combine harvesters, 150,000 bags of fertiliser, 1,500 planters, plough, boom sprayers, and harrows.
The wife of the president commended the farmer Governor of Niger State for his agricultural initiatives, saying the state has earned its place as one of Nigeria's leading agricultural hubs.
She also stated that the state under the leadership of the farmer governor has proven that agriculture remains the most practical path to prosperity, job creation, and sustainability.
The first lady observed that the event was a bold statement that Nigeria is ready to feed herself and that it is also a deliberate transition from subsistence practices to modern, mechanised and commercially viable agriculture.
She said that the gesture will empower farmers with the tools needed to increase productivity, enhance livelihoods, and strengthen the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the country.
Sen. Uluremi Tinubu said that the farmer governor's initiative aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the president and that he has made it clear that food availability and affordability must be treated as national priorities.
She congratulated the farmers and urged them to make effective use of the implements provided and approach the farming season with renewed determination and readiness to embrace modern agricultural methods.
Farmer Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago said the investment in agriculture by his administration is to support farming activities on 120,000 hectares of land across the 25 local government areas of the state and create about 3,000 direct and indirect jobs with an estimated yield of about 500,000 tons of assorted food products per season of both wet and dry season farming.
He said that the launching of the agricultural tools and input will greatly improve the entire agriculture chain beyond the state.
The farmer governor said since the commencement of agricultural mechanisation in the state, significant progress has been made, stressing that agriculture remains a top priority and his administration is passionate about making the state a major source of food for the nation.
He said his administration will embark on the expansion of irrigation facilities to enable multi-cycles of production in a year and work out modalities for the off-take of massive outputs by farmers.
The farmer governor called on farmers and other stakeholders to work with the Niger Food Security and Logistics Limited, a state-owned enterprise, in achieving the target.
He then appealed to the First Lady to consider the numerous untapped agricultural potentials of the state and sustain her support by facilitating more agricultural investments in the state for the benefit of the nation in general.
The APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, applauded the initiative, noting that the state will no doubt be a hub for food security, especially when the Sokoto-Badagry coastal superhighway road project is completed.
Also speaking, the minister of information and national orientation, Mohammed Idris Malagi, described agriculture as critical to the nation's economy and said that the president is exploring means to ensure that the sector continues to lead in improving the nation's GDP.
Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, said the federal government is working round the clock in terms of partnership with states and stakeholders in the agricultural sector to ensure that Nigeria produces food for itself, pointing out that Niger State, which has the largest arable land in Nigeria, is providing leadership in increasing agricultural productivity.
Chairman, Niger Foods Security Systems and Logistics, Mr. Sammy Adigun, said Niger State is blessed with vast natural resources and that Niger Foods, as a special purpose vehicle of the state, is collaborating with partners who will help in cultivating lands through mechanisation to enhance food production.
The commissioner for agriculture, Alh. Isah Sidi Rijau, said the agricultural intervention is in line with the renewed hope agenda and food security of President Bola Tinubu and assured that the state will continue to complement the efforts of the federal government to achieve food security and sovereignty.
The Secretary to the Niger State Government (SSG), Abubakar Usman, said the event represented a major step in the agricultural mechanisation programme of the governor and reflected his resolve to modernise farming practices, boost productivity, and empower farmers to succeed in the agricultural landscape.
Etsu Nupe and Chairman, Niger State Council of Traditional Rulers Yahaya Abubakar, represented by the Emir of Agaie Yusuf Nuhu, described the intervention as remarkable and said that it will go a long way in addressing food insecurity.
