By Faridat Salifu
President Bola Tinubu has identified food security and regional economic inclusion as central to Nigeria’s long-term stability.
Speaking at the opening of the Taraba International Investment Summit 2025 in Jalingo, Taraba State, recently, the president pledged to transform the state to a hub for agriculture, energy, and mineral development.
Represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, Tinubu described Taraba a cornerstone of Nigeria’s agricultural and industrial future.
He stressed the need to move from subsistence farming to mechanized agriculture to boost productivity and feed the nation.
“Food sufficiency is the first currency of national stability,” the President said, urging farmers to adopt modern equipment like tractors and harvesters.
He highlighted Taraba’s potential as a producer of export-grade tea, coffee, and livestock, and praised the Kashimbila Dam—the country’s largest hydroelectric project—as a symbol of development possibilities.
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Tinubu warned against reliance on raw commodities alone, emphasizing the importance of value addition through factories, innovation clusters, and industrial parks.
He stressed that every region’s strengths complement each other and must be harnessed collectively for national prosperity.
Commending Governor Agbu Kefas for his leadership, the President assured that the federal government will actively support expanding economic opportunities beyond Lagos and Abuja to include all parts of Taraba such as Jalingo, Gembu, and Takum.
Highlighting Taraba’s mineral resources, including those critical for clean energy technologies like lithium and cobalt, Tinubu encouraged investors to view the state as a long-term partner in sustainable development.
Governor Kefas described Taraba as a peaceful and resource-rich state with a business-friendly environment, while Governor Mohammed Bago of Niger State, representing the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, pledged support for agricultural development.
Business leaders including Dangote Group President Alhaji Aliko Dangote and Heirs Holdings Chairman Chief Tony Elumelu affirmed their commitment to investing in Nigeria, emphasizing job creation and local capacity building as keys to attracting foreign investment.
The Sultan of Sokoto, Mohammed Abubakar Sa’ad III, praised the summit’s significance and Governor Kefas’s security improvements in the state, urging continued progress.
The summit marked a pivotal moment in positioning Taraba as a key player in Nigeria’s economic diversification and the blue economy’s growth.
