By Kiso Simon
At the just-concluded summit in Abuja, organized by the Northern Nigeria Forum under the theme “Unlocking the Potential in Agriculture, Mining, and Power”, Amb. Prof. Steve Ugbah, Director of the Northern Nigeria Forum and National Commissioner at the Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Commission, emphasized that sustainable security remains the cornerstone for attracting meaningful investments in the region.
Addressing the press, Prof. Ugbah noted that no society can achieve lasting development without first addressing its security challenges.
He drew an analogy between security and development, likening it to the chicken-and-egg scenario: “You cannot have one without the other. For development to thrive, there must first be stability and security.”
He stressed that the Northern region requires significant development interventions, especially in agriculture, mining, and infrastructure, which could only be realized with guaranteed security. Highlighting the potential of stable power supply, he explained how energy could transform the agricultural and mining sectors, thereby unlocking economic opportunities across the North.
Prof. Ugbah further commended the efforts of state governments in addressing farmer-herder conflicts, particularly praising the Governor of Benue State, Rev. Dr. Hyacinth Alia, for his commitment to managing these crises, despite the high costs of maintaining security.
Concluding his remarks, Prof. Ugbah described the summit as a timely wake-up call for Northern governors. He urged them to adopt strategic and regional approaches to development, leveraging platforms like the Forum to collectively design sustainable solutions for the future of Northern Nigeria.
The summit also featured interactive panel sessions.
The summit attracted a wide range of dignitaries, including Governor Dauda Lawal (Zamfara), Governor Abdullahi Sule (Nasarawa), Minister of Finance and Coordinating Economy Mr. Wale Edun, Minister of Budget and Planning Hon. Abubakar Aliyu, international representatives from Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia, as well as captains of industry and technocrats.
