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Borno: From ashes of insecurity to agric revolution
Borno: From ashes of insecurity to agric revolution
By Hamza Suleiman
Prior to the Boko Haram insurgency Borno was one of the most agriculturally advanced states in Nigeria with more than two-third of its population engaged in cereal crops, livestock, fishery, and poultry production.
This contributed significantly to Nigeria’s food supply chain, making it a crucial player in feeding the country’s vast population.
However, the insurgency had a devastating impact on agriculture, similar to its effects on the economy and social sectors and residents took refuge in other parts of the country.
The damage was monumental, leading to malnutrition in children and breastfeeding mothers, as well as hunger and starvation among the population, ultimately culminating in a humanitarian crisis in the entire North-East region.
The aftermath of the devastation was estimated to be in the billions of dollars, leaving a significant portion of the population without livelihoods and dependent on food aid from the government and humanitarian organizations.
In 2019, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum assumed office as the elected governor of Borno State, inheriting one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world at the time, with approximately 2.5 million displaced persons.
These individuals, who previously engaged in rain-fed and irrigation activities, cultivating thousands of hectares of arable land across the state’s 20 local government areas, also lost their livelihoods as fishermen and animal breeders.
This significantly reduced the state’s food production capacity to almost zero.
As a result, citizens faced hunger and starvation, and the supply of well-bred animals, dried fish, and other fishery products to markets across Nigeria, Niger, Chad, and Cameroon Republics was severely impacted.
Notably, the Federal Government established the Lake Chad Basin Development Commission (LCBDC).
This was in recognition of Borno’s significant contribution to agriculture. There was also the establishment of Lake Chad Basin Research Institute in Maiduguri, to enhance studies and innovations in various fields of agriculture.
Zulum also built on the Reconstruction, Rehabilitation, and Resettlement program initiated by his predecessor, Vice-President Kashim Shettima. This programme prioritised agriculture, which received significant attention.
During the launch of the Renewed Hope Initiative Women Agricultural Support Programme (RHI-WASP), Zulum emphasised the importance of agriculture in Borno’s development.
“Our government has made agriculture a top priority, and we are committed to mobilizing resources to boost its growth.
“To achieve this, we have procured essential agricultural machinery and inputs like tractors, chemicals, and fertilisers.
`This will significantly enhance our farmers’ productivity. Our goal is to support our farmers in every way possible to increase their agricultural output and promote food security.
He said, “We must shift our focus from short-term humanitarian support to medium and long-term sustainable solutions, and that is agriculture”, Zulum said.
RHI-WASP is the initiative of the wife of the President, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, designed to encourage women to engage in agricultural activities and contribute to the food sufficiency agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Zulum’s administration has empowered 120 women farmers from the North-East region with N500,000 each, and 100 persons with disabilities from Borno with N100,000 each, to support their agricultural endeavors’’, the document said.
The Borno government recognises the importance of logistics support to farmers hence it has taken to meet some of their challenges.
For instance it procured one million liters of petrol which was distributed at a subsidized rate to farmers across the state and distributed 20,000 bags of fertilisers to them.
The government also provided 1,000 solar-powered water pumps and 5,000 water pump machines to farmers in the three senatorial districts.
Among others, the state government established modern, innovative and climate-smart irrigation schemes at Bokkoiri in Konduga; Kulunnam in Magumeri, Jaffi in Kwaya Kusar, Mafa in Mafa, Bulabulin, Shuwari and Gajibo in Dikwa and Logomane in Ngala LGA, respectively.
Similarly, the Zulum administration is investing hugely in drip irrigation to accelerate cash crop production such as maize, cassava and sesame seeds, even as it has inaugurated a 20-hectare sesame plantation at Koiri pilot drip irrigation scheme.
“Let’s carefully put things in order. Borno State will start exporting sesame and other cash crops in the near future.
“We will subsequently change focus and invest our resources in irrigation farming or, rather, food production.
I assure you that we will provide the political will needed to achieve food sufficiency.
“We need to expand our scope; we should identify bigger lands, we can expand with another 100 hectares each in Borno Central, South and North Senatorial Districts.
“My predecessor has procured about 10,000 hectares of drip irrigation kits. After this year’s rainy season, we hope the state will be able to cultivate at least 1,000 hectares”, Zulum said.
The Zulum administration recorded significant success in enhancing extension and farmers support services as it distributed improved variety seeds, fertilisers, chemical and knapsack sprayers to 3,000 rice farmers at Ngala and Gwoza.
It also provided 250 water pumps, 250 tubewells, assorted seeds, and agrochemicals to 1,000 Dry season farmers in Baga resettled community, while 1,000 tubewells and 1,000 water pumps were distributed to rice growers at Damasak in Mobbar LGA.
Farmers in Tarmuwa-Banki also received 50 units of water pumps with accessories, 50 tubewells, seeds, fertiliser, and chemicals to dry season farmers.’’, among other initiatives.
The efforts of the administration have not gone unnoticed by experts and other stakeholders in the sector.
Executive Secretary of National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA), Prince Paul Ikonne urged all stakeholders to emulate Zulum in his agriculture sector revolution.
He spoke at the inauguration of projects executed by NALDA in Jere Local Government Area of Borno.
“I want to call on all stakeholders to quickly key into this agricultural revolution of Mr President (Bola Tinubu) by adopting the method of Borno State, the method of unconditional land donation and method of total commitment.
“I thank you, Mr governor, for your support for agriculture, your support for the development of Borno…NALDA will continue to partner Borno because Borno has the potential to develop food production and achieve food security in Nigeria’’, Ikonne said.
A social media influencer, Abudulla Ayofe, has also commended Zulum over his steps to transform the agric sector in Borno.
“Governor Zulum’s administration is turning desert into green fields in a bid to push the modern agriculture revolution in Borno State’’, he said in one of his verified social media posts.
Gaji Ngari, a grain farmer in Dille village in Askira/Uba Local Government Area, said Zulum had not only transformed farming but also the lives of farmers.
“The government has done a lot for us, particularly given our recent history; gradually, we are picking ourselves up’’, he said.
Agric experts say in spite of the achievements, more still needs to be done to position Borno in a position to reach its agric potential.
They say the state government should further explore technology in providing logistics for farmers. They say such tools can be used to predict weather and latest agriculture inputs.
They also call for strengthened security in the state, particularly around farmlands, which are still vulnerable to sporadic security breaches, as well as provide financial security for farmers through soft loans.
Hamza Suleiman is a Senior Correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)
Borno: From ashes of insecurity to agric revolution
Zulum commissions remodelled ‘2nd chance school’ for vulnerable girls
.Disburses N1bn to SMEs in 5 LGAs
By: Our Reporter
Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, on Thursday commissioned a fully remodelled “Second Chance School” for vulnerable girls and women in Biu Local Government Area.
The newly inaugurated facility is part of a strategic initiative designed to offer adult women, including those who missed formal education or dropped out of school due to prevailing challenges, a pathway to self-reliance.
The school’s curriculum is tailored towards providing comprehensive skills’ acquisition, critical digital knowledge and basic literacy, and numeracy training.
With the Biu centre now operational, Zulum’s administration has established three such schools across the state, with existing centres already operational in Maiduguri and Bama.
Meanwhile, Governor Zulum has disbursed N1 billion to small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) across five local government areas in southern Borno.
The targeted LGAs include Biu, Hawul, Shani, Bayo and Kwaya-Kusar, with the funds intended to support entrepreneurs and enhance business sustainability.
Zulum explained that the direct injection of capital into the SME sector is essential for driving grassroots development and fostering self-reliance in the post-insurgency recovery phase.
In a related development aimed at tackling youth restiveness and promoting social stability, Governor Zulum has ordered immediate employment of 200 young individuals from the Biu Local Government Area.
After the inauguration, Zulum visited Biu Specialist Hospital where he announced the immediate and automatic employment of a number of dedicated volunteer health workers who have served tirelessly.
He also inspected the 100-unit teachers’ housing estate under construction in Biu town. The estate is part of the Borno State Government’s motivational strategy to attract and retain qualified teaching professionals in public schools.
Governor Zulum has also directed immediate commencement of rehabilitation work on the Borno State Hotel Annexe in Biu.
Zulum commissions remodelled ‘2nd chance school’ for vulnerable girls
Environment Minister Calls for Inter-Agency Collaboration to Address Environmental Challenges
By: Michael Mike
The Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, has urged enhanced inter-agency collaboration to tackle environmental challenges across Nigeria.
The call was made during a meeting with the Director-General of the National Hydro-Electric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (N-HYPPADEC), Abubakar Sadiq, and his team at the Ministry’s Abuja office.
Highlighting potential areas of cooperation, Lawal emphasized the importance of climate-resilient water supply and sanitation (WASH) programs aimed at ensuring year-round access to safe, reliable, and clean water in communities affected by dam operations. He noted that such collaboration would not only improve access to safe drinking water but also reduce the prevalence of water-borne diseases in these areas.
On energy initiatives, the Minister discussed the distribution of clean cooking stoves to households in hydro-basin communities, stressing that this would significantly reduce household energy poverty, deforestation, and emissions through the adoption of energy-efficient cooking technologies.
Other proposed collaboration areas between the Ministry and N-HYPPADEC include erosion and flood management, ecosystem restoration, climate-resilient afforestation programs, youth and community engagement, job creation, and public awareness campaigns.
In his remarks, Abubakar Sadiq described N-HYPPADEC as a strategic partner of the Federal Ministry of Environment, outlining the commission’s impactful interventions across water supply, sanitation, housing, youth empowerment, water transport safety, and institutional strengthening. He also commended the Ministry for its prompt response to flood-prone areas, erosion challenges, and pollution management.
N-HYPPADEC maintains offices in Lokoja, Birnin Kebbi, Ilorin, Lafia, Jos, Gombe, Jalingo, Makurdi, Kaduna, with its headquarters in Minna, Niger State.
Environment Minister Calls for Inter-Agency Collaboration to Address Environmental Challenges
Health
Health Worker Exodus Deepens as Policy Brief Warns of Systemic Risk to Nigeria’s Healthcare Sector
Health Worker Exodus Deepens as Policy Brief Warns of Systemic Risk to Nigeria’s Healthcare Sector
By: Michael Mike
A new policy brief has warned that unless urgent welfare-focused reforms are implemented, the country risks a deepening crisis that could undermine access to quality healthcare nationwide.
Nigeria’s healthcare system is facing mounting pressure as the steady departure of doctors and nurses continues to erode service capacity, raising concerns about long-term system viability.
According to the policy analysis authored by health policy expert Dr Emmanuel Ejimonu, of the Athena Centre for Policy and Leadership, more than 42,000 nurses left Nigeria between 2021 and early 2024, while thousands of Nigerian-trained doctors have registered to practise abroad, particularly in the United Kingdom. The trend shows no sign of slowing, as survey data cited in the report indicate that nearly three-quarters of medical and nursing students intend to seek employment overseas, with about one in three expressing no plans to return.
The report attributed the exodus largely to domestic welfare and governance challenges rather than professional ambition. Health workers interviewed consistently pointed to low and irregular salaries, unsafe and overstretched working environments, limited opportunities for funded specialist training and weak social protection systems. These challenges, the brief notes, have made emigration a rational choice in the face of institutional uncertainty, especially as global demand for health professionals continues to rise.
Although the Federal Government introduced a National Policy on Health Workforce Migration in 2023 to promote ethical recruitment and retention, the brief argues that its impact has been limited. Implementation gaps, inadequate funding and uneven execution at state and facility levels have prevented the policy from delivering meaningful improvements in working conditions.
The consequences of sustained health worker losses are already visible. Teaching hospitals are reportedly struggling to maintain specialist training and mentorship programmes, while recurring strikes highlight growing mistrust between health workers and government authorities. Economically, the country is losing returns on public investments in training, even as staff shortages compromise care delivery in both urban and rural facilities. Remaining workers also face rising burnout, further fuelling migration intentions.
Drawing on international experiences from countries such as Ghana, Kenya, the Philippines and Cuba, the policy brief stresses that health worker migration cannot be completely stopped. Instead, it recommends managing mobility through welfare-based retention strategies and credible governance structures.
Central to the recommendations is a proposed Welfare-First Retention Package, which prioritises guaranteed and timely payment of salaries, improved workplace safety, funded career progression, fair bonding arrangements and strengthened social protection. The package also calls for disciplined use of bilateral agreements and ethical recruitment frameworks to protect Nigeria’s investment in health worker training.
The brief estimates that, if properly funded and implemented, the proposed measures could reduce short-term health worker attrition by up to one-third within two years, while significantly improving retention over a five-year period.
The report stated that reversing the health workforce crisis will require treating welfare reform as a core economic and governance priority, backed by political will, fiscal discipline and strong institutional coordination. Without such action, the report warns, Nigeria risks the gradual hollowing out of its healthcare system, with far-reaching consequences for public health and national development.
Health Worker Exodus Deepens as Policy Brief Warns of Systemic Risk to Nigeria’s Healthcare Sector
“While the rest of us sleep, you keep watch over Nigeria” — Governor Diri praises soldiers’ sacrifices
Zulum commissions remodelled ‘2nd chance school’ for vulnerable girls
Environment Minister Calls for Inter-Agency Collaboration to Address Environmental Challenges
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