President Bola Tinubu has declared that Nigeria has sufficient arable land and human resources to feed itself.
Tinubu made the declaration in Dutse, Jigawa State, while flagging off the distribution of 400 tractors, 60 combine harvesters and other agricultural equipment to boost food production.
He said mechanisation, irrigation and agricultural value addition would increase local production and lower food prices.
The President performed the ceremony in Dutse, the state capital, during a visit that also featured the commissioning of three development projects and an All Progressives Congress, APC, rally.
The equipment, distributed through the newly established Jigawa Farm Mechanisation Machinery Agency, also includes 150 multipurpose planters, 150 rice seeders and 80 boom sprayers.
The intervention is expected to improve farmers’ access to modern machinery, reduce dependence on manual labour and increase agricultural productivity.
Speaking at the APC rally, Tinubu reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to addressing the country’s economic and security challenges.
On electricity, the President promised to provide Nigerians with reliable power, stressing the need for a sustainable electricity system.
Tinubu also ruled out a return to fuel subsidy, arguing that reversing the policy would undermine the country’s economic future.
On security, he said the Federal Government was strengthening the police and armed forces through improved salaries and support to enable them to tackle threats to national peace and stability.
He urged communities to cooperate with security agencies by sharing information and working together to address insecurity.
The President also commissioned the Bola Tinubu Multipurpose Skills Acquisition Centre, the Renewed Hope Technical Services Centre and the Garu Dual Carriageway.
Governor Umar Namadi described the visit as a historic moment for Jigawa, saying the commissioning of projects alongside the APC rally demonstrated the connection between the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda and the state’s 12-Point Agenda.
He expressed appreciation for federal support in infrastructure, agriculture, education and social protection.
Namadi disclosed that about 192,000 residents of the state were benefiting from federal cash transfers, with N14.36 billion disbursed between 2024 and 2026.
He also said the Greater Dutse Water Supply Project, which had remained on the drawing board for more than a decade, was now more than 60 per cent complete.
The governor, however, appealed to Tinubu to fast-track the project and intervene in addressing erosion in Hadejia, Dutse, Birnin Kudu and Gwaram.
He further sought federal intervention to restore passenger services on the historic Kano-Nguru railway line and review import tariff policies on rice and wheat to protect local farmers from unfair competition.
