Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has called for a significant focus on agricultural development across Nigeria, emphasizing that the country will continue to face serious challenges until it achieves self-sufficiency in food production. He made this statement during a courtesy visit from a delegation of Commissioners and Special Advisers from Niger State to his residence in Abeokuta over the weekend.
Obasanjo stressed the importance of leveraging modern agricultural technologies to make a more substantial impact than previous initiatives. He commended the efforts of Niger State Governor Umaru Bago in transforming the state’s agricultural sector, drawing parallels between Bago’s initiatives and his own “Operation Feed the Nation” policy from 1976.
The former president highlighted that achieving agricultural self-sufficiency could significantly enhance Nigeria’s socio-economic status and address the ongoing food security issues. He urged other state governors to adopt similar agricultural development strategies to ensure that Nigeria can produce most of its own food.
Obasanjo also encouraged Niger State to continue investing in agriculture and to explore modern methods to improve existing practices. He expressed his intention to visit Niger State with his team to observe their progress, share insights, and collaborate on enhancing agricultural practices to benefit the broader sector.