In a bold move to boost Nigeria’s agriculture and cut down on oil dependence, Niger State Governor Mohammed Umar Bago has promised to give Lagos State 100,000 acres of land for a N500 billion farming initiative. He also announced plans to stop live cows from entering Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, and other southwestern states, opting instead to send frozen meat.
Governor Bago made these assurances during the First Bank Nigeria Limited Africa and Export Expo 2025, held under the theme “The Fundamentals of Building a Non-Oil Export Driven Economy.” The event gathered policymakers, investors, and entrepreneurs to discuss ways to diversify Nigeria’s economy beyond oil.
Bago stressed that countries exporting raw materials without processing them often miss out on big economic gains. “Nations exporting raw products without processing inevitably lose economic value,” he said. To fix this in Nigeria, he plans to process meat right in Niger State, ensuring local farmers get the full rewards of their work.
“We will process our meat in Niger so that our farmers reap the full benefits of their labour. This way, the value and pricing will be in our hands,” Bago explained. Instead of trucking live cows to markets in Lagos and Ogun, Niger will handle the processing and deliver frozen products when needed.
The governor also pledged to ramp up land support for Lagos’s farming efforts. He will increase the allocation from 20,000 hectares to 100,000 hectares, which experts say could greatly increase food production and strengthen ties between states.
This initiative aligns with the expo’s focus on building an export-driven economy. Attendees explored strategies to shift Nigeria away from relying on oil, promoting processed goods and agriculture as key drivers.
For Lagos residents, this could mean fresher, safer meat supplies and more jobs in farming partnerships.
