Food security, regional inclusion pillars of Nigeria’s stability – Tinubu

By Kunle Sanni

President Bola Tinubu has identified food security and regional economic inclusion as key drivers of Nigeria’s long-term stability, declaring that no region should be left behind in the country’s development efforts.

Speaking through Vice President Kashim Shettima at the opening of the Taraba International Investment Summit 2025 in Jalingo, the President emphasized that his administration is committed to decentralising development and leveraging the diverse strengths of Nigeria’s regions to achieve shared prosperity.

“Food sufficiency is the first currency of national stability. This is why we have prioritised agriculture as the anchor of our national strategy,” Tinubu said, highlighting agriculture, energy, and mineral development as core pillars of his administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

The President hailed Taraba State’s vast agricultural potential, describing it as central to Nigeria’s food production ambitions. He noted that Taraba is well-positioned to transition from subsistence to industrial-scale farming and called for the adoption of modern tools and techniques to boost productivity.

“Our farmers must transition from hoes and cutlasses to tractors and harvesters,” Tinubu stated, adding that Taraba’s contributions to the production of export-grade tea, coffee, and livestock underline its strategic importance to the national economy.

Highlighting the Kashimbila Dam—one of Nigeria’s largest hydroelectric facilities—as a symbol of what is possible through visionary leadership, the President urged the state and private sector to pursue value addition, industrial clusters, and innovation to drive sustainable economic transformation.

“We cannot live on raw produce and unprocessed minerals. What we need are factories, clusters, and industrial parks to convert ideas into impact,” he said.

Tinubu also stressed the importance of regional cooperation and inclusion, stating that “no part of this country can thrive in isolation,” and described Taraba as a “strategic contributor to our shared prosperity.”