President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reaffirmed that food security and equitable regional development are vital to Nigeria’s long-term stability, as he unveiled bold plans to transform Taraba State into a hub for agriculture, clean energy, and mining.
Speaking on Wednesday at the opening of the Taraba International Investment Summit 2025 in Jalingo, the President, represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, said his administration is committed to decentralising national development and leveraging local resources to build a more inclusive and prosperous economy.
“Food sufficiency is the first currency of national stability,” President Tinubu declared. “This is why agriculture remains at the core of our national strategy.”
He said Nigeria must shift from subsistence farming to industrial-scale food production, calling for a transition from hoes and cutlasses to tractors and harvesters. “Taraba’s vast agricultural resources are key to this transformation,” he said.
Highlighting Taraba’s strategic position, the President described the state as an “agricultural powerhouse,” citing its production of export-grade tea, coffee, livestock, and its potential for clean energy and mineral wealth, including lithium and cobalt.
“The Kashimbila Dam is more than a feat of engineering; it represents the power of vision and delivery. Taraba’s contribution to our national economy is undeniable, and it must be fully harnessed,” he said.
President Tinubu stressed the need for value addition, noting that Nigeria must move away from raw exports and embrace manufacturing, innovation hubs, and industrial parks. “What we need are factories, not just farms,” he said.
He also underscored the importance of regional collaboration, stating: “No region can thrive in isolation. Every part of Nigeria is a gift to the other.”
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The President commended Governor Agbu Kefas for his leadership in convening the investment summit, saying it demonstrated Taraba’s readiness to embrace its destiny as a regional economic driver.
“This is a defining moment for Taraba. Investment should not be limited to Lagos and Abuja. It must reach Jalingo, Gembu, Wukari, Takum, and every corner of this promising state,” Tinubu said.
In his remarks, Governor Kefas assured investors of Taraba’s peace and readiness for business, saying “life has come to Taraba State,” with an enabling environment now in place to welcome local and foreign investment.
Governor Mohammed Bago of Niger State, representing the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, pledged support for agricultural development across Nigeria, while Africa’s leading entrepreneurs, Alhaji Aliko Dangote and Chief Tony Elumelu, promised increased investments in Taraba.
“When local investors do well, foreign investors will follow,” Dangote said, likening successful investment climates to great restaurants that need no advertisement.
Traditional institutions also threw their weight behind the summit, with the Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence Mohammed Sa’ad Abubakar III, commending Governor Kefas for making security a priority and hosting a truly inclusive economic dialogue.