National News

Nigeria, India begin advanced millet production to tackle food insecurity

Published

3 years ago

January 29, 2023

Nigeria, India begin advanced millet production to tackle food insecurity

Nigeria and India have began an advanced millet producing strategy and advocacy to increase millet production to tackle the looming global food insecurity and improving nutritional values.

Indian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Gangadharan Balasubramanian and Nigeria’s Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mohammed Abubakar, made this known during the commemoration of the International Year of Millet (IYM 2023) organised by the Indian High Commission, Abuja.

The minister and envoy said that knowing the health and nutritional benefit of millet, both countries have keyed into the UN declaration of the IYM 2023 to increase production of the grain and create more awareness on the benefits.

Balasubramanian said that India has already taken innovative steps to increasing millet production and with close partnership with Nigeria.

“The International year of Millet was proposed by the government of India at the United Nations and I am very happy to say that Nigeria was one of the eight countries which have co-sponsored this resolution.

“Supported by seventy other people and subsequently was unanimously agreed by the united Nations to announce 2023 as the international year of millet.

“The government of India is very keen, is very conscious. We have a separate millet imitative that has started, various research programmes are going on, various support systems are being put in place.

“Farmers are being taught, there are a lot of activities that are taking place in terms of improving and providing the millets to the general populations.

“Nigeria is one of the major five millets producing countries and it is pertinent to note that India and Nigeria will come together in celebrating this.

“This cooking and food festival is only to showcase that it will be possible for us to have all the kinds of items that we consume on a daily basis which can be replaced by millets also.

“This is just the beginning, we will be having a conclave of meetings between Indian and Nigerian stakeholders in millet production, whether it is the agro-tech, the farmers, or the extension services that will be provided,” Balasubramanian said.

Abubakar said that the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has been promoting millet production and value addition towards self-sufficiency and meeting industrial requirements in the country.

Abubakar who was represented by Engr. Abdullahi Abubakar, a Director in the Ministry said that all hands must be on deck in other for Nigeria to achieve the set goal.

“Presently, millet in Nigeria has not met the national demand and it is attributed to low productivity of the crop.

“Our national demand for millet as at 2022 was 6.4 million metric tons, while our national production is only two million metric tonnes.

“This low productivity can be caused by local potential of the crop’s variety, application of poor agronomic practices, depleted soil, climate change or agrégation of these factors.

“The ministry is in deer need to increase the productivity of the crop so as to enhance farmers income and attract more youths into millet cultivation and meet our national demand and industrial demand and contribute to the growth of the GDP.

“This event is as well to reawaken the consciousness of Nigerian millet farmers to adopt good agronomic practices to improve the livelihood of farmers and the GDP of Nigeria

“I want to assure you that the Ministry will cooperate with you to ensure that no stone is lefty unturned until Nigeria becomes self-sufficient in millet production in the nearest future,” Abubakar said.

Also speaking, the Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar said that the event is the beginning of a great journey between both countries to producing a crop which will be of immense benefit to humanity.

“I am sure this is just the beginning of our journey towards achieving our desired food security,” he said

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event was marked with the Millet Food Festival and Cooking Competition was organised by the High Commission in collaboration with the Niger State government.

National News

VP Shettima Attends Wedding Fatiha Of Aisha Shehu Aliyu and Muhammad Jalal Babangida Aliyu

Published

6 hours ago

August 9, 2025

Ochuwa Ibrahim

VP Shettima Attends Wedding Fatiha Of Aisha Shehu Aliyu and Muhammad Jalal Babangida Aliyu

By: Our Reporter

Vice President Kashim Shettima on Saturday attended the wedding fatiha of Aisha, daughter of Shehu Aliyu, an Executive Director with First Bank of Nigeria, and Muhammad Jalal, son of former Niger State Governor, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, Talban Minna, at the National Mosque, Abuja.

The solemnisation, led by the Chief Imam of the National Mosque, Dr. Muhammad Kabir Adam, alongside other Imams, featured prayers for the couple’s blessings.

Vice President Shettima stood in for the bride, while Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu represented the groom, culminating in the presentation of the dowry and the formal tying of the marital knot.

The event was graced by prominent dignitaries, including former Vice President Namadi Sambo, former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido, Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, former Kaduna State Governor Ahmed Makarfi, former Minister of Special Duties Kabiru Turaki, Katsina State Deputy Governor Faruk Lawal Jobe, the Emir of Borgu, Niger State, Muhammad Sani Dantoro among many others.

VP Shettima Attends Wedding Fatiha Of Aisha Shehu Aliyu and Muhammad Jalal Babangida Aliyu

National News

Unidentified visitor dies suddenly at Niger Government House Lodge

Published

5 days ago

August 5, 2025

Ochuwa Ibrahim

Unidentified visitor dies suddenly at Niger Government House Lodge

By: Zagazola Makama

The Niger State Police Command has confirmed the sudden death of an unidentified man who collapsed and died at Government House Lodge, Minna. Zagazola learnt that the incident occurred on Friday, Aug. 2, 2025.

Sources said that the deceased had visited House No. 8, Government House Lodge, in an attempt to see Mr. Sammy, Chairman of Niger Foods. However, upon meeting his host’s absence, the man suddenly took ill.

Medical doctors were reportedly contacted from the IBB Specialist Hospital, Minna, for urgent attention. Unfortunately, by the time the doctor arrived, the man had already passed away.

Following the report, a team of police operatives from GRA Division visited the scene. The body was photographed and evacuated to the IBB Specialist Hospital Mortuary for autopsy to determine the exact cause of death.

Unidentified visitor dies suddenly at Niger Government House Lodge

National News

Bauchi Guber: Sen Buba accepts calls by Bauchi North APC members to contest in 2027

Published

6 days ago

August 3, 2025

Ochuwa Ibrahim

Bauchi Guber: Sen Buba accepts calls by Bauchi North APC members to contest in 2027

By Amina Ahmed Dankawuwa

The Senator representing Bauchi South at the national assembly, Senator Shehu Buba Umar has accepted the calls by the members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Bauchi North Senatorial District to contest for Governorship come 2027.

The Director General of the campaign for the actualisation of Sen Buba’s Gubernatorial ambition, Alhaji Muhammad Sade (Usman) accepted the calls on behalf of the Senator during a town hall meeting held on Saturday by the members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Bauchi North Senatorial in Azare.

He appealed to members of APC to maintain peace with all other aspirants within the party.

“Let’s respect other aspirants, such that anybody who win the primary election can have will be assisted by others, so we must value and respect each other”, he reasoned.

Muhammad Sade also called on party members to commence looking for delegates for ahead of the party primaries.

“It is now that we have to look for those that have votes. I call on our esteemed supporters to start mobilizing for delegate”, he emphasized.

He also advised social media handlers (citizens journalist) to avoid creating problems for personal gain, adding that social media some times create a lot of problem within and out side the party endorsed Senator representing Bauchi South, Senator Shehu Buba Umar for Bauchi Governor come 2027.

Baushe Daily Times reports that members of the APC gathered in thousands during the meeting in Azare during which they unanimously agreed to support Senator Shehu Buba for Governor come 2027.

Earlier in a welcoming address, former majority leader in the Bauchi state house of assembly, Hon Tijjani Mohammed Aliyu, the choice to support Sen Shehu buba Umar’s Governorship ambition was due to his concern and care he has for the people of Bauchi state.

“He respects us, he values our people politically and he also call on party members to respect each other because politics shouldn’t be considered as a do or die affair”, he said.

Also speaking, Alhaji Bashir Bukar Rimin Zayam charged the youth to cast their votes for the youth only and avoid voting older politicians who will always be going abroad for medical attention.

He therefore, appealed to members of APC to mobilised people to support Sen Shehu Buba for Governor.

Among those who attended the town hall meeting include state assembly member Azare/Madangala Hon Zakariyya sale maigero, comr sabo Mohammed S A to Sen Shehu Buba on media and communication, Hon kasuwa Shehu Damana, Hon Adamu Fanta Misau, Hon maiwada Misau,Hon Mohammed Hassan, Barr Muktar Umar, Alhaji Nura Adamu among others.

Bauchi Guber: Sen Buba accepts calls by Bauchi North APC members to contest in 2027