President Bola Tinubu has declared food security and regional economic inclusion as key pillars for Nigeria’s lasting stability, emphasizing that agriculture remains the backbone of his administration’s Renewed Hope agenda.
Speaking through Vice President Kashim Shettima at the opening of the Taraba International Investment Summit 2025 in Jalingo, President Tinubu unveiled plans to transform Taraba State into a hub for agricultural productivity, energy generation, and mineral development.
“Food sufficiency is the first currency of national stability,” Tinubu said in a statement by presidential spokesman Stanley Nkwocha. “This is why we have prioritised agriculture as the anchor of our national strategy.”
Highlighting Taraba’s strategic importance to Nigeria’s future, he praised the state’s fertile lands, calling for a shift from traditional to mechanized farming to boost productivity and food supply.
“Our farmers must transition from hoes and cutlasses to tractors and harvesters,” he urged, stressing the need for modern tools to meet growing demands.
Tinubu noted that Taraba already plays a vital role in national development, with its production of export-grade tea, coffee, and livestock, and emphasized the significance of the Kashimbila Dam as a symbol of infrastructure’s role in economic transformation.
However, he warned against overreliance on raw exports, advocating for value-added processing through factories, innovation clusters, and industrial parks.
“We cannot live on raw produce and unprocessed minerals. What we need are systems that convert resources into impact,” he stated.
The president called for nationwide collaboration, stating that each region’s strengths complement the others and contribute to national prosperity. “Our awakening begins when we realize that no region can thrive in isolation,” he said.
Commending Governor Agbu Kefas for hosting the summit, Tinubu pledged the federal government’s partnership in unlocking Taraba’s economic potential. “We are expanding the map of economic inclusion beyond Lagos and Abuja to Jalingo, Gembu, Wukari, and every enterprising corner of Taraba,” he said.
As global demand for clean energy resources like lithium and cobalt grows, Tinubu urged investors to see Taraba as a long-term player in the green energy space.
Governor Kefas assured investors that Taraba is peaceful and rich in both human and natural resources, offering a favorable environment for business.
Governor Mohammed Bago of Niger State, speaking on behalf of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, echoed this, emphasizing Taraba’s abundant production factors and calling on the state government to continue enabling investment.
Business leaders also threw their weight behind Tinubu’s vision. Aliko Dangote, President of Dangote Group, pledged continued investment in Nigeria, saying local success attracts global investors. “When local investors do well, foreign ones will follow,” he remarked.
Tony Elumelu, Chairman of Heirs Holdings, committed to partnering with Taraba to support youth empowerment through investment and job creation.
The Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence Mohammed Sa’ad Abubakar III, described the summit as a historic move and urged leaders to drive lasting change, while commending Governor Kefas for improving security and stability in the state.
