Niger Governor Bago Advocates for Agriculture Investment

Niger Governor Bago stated that he pays a minimum wage of N500,000 monthly to graduates working on his farm, which he claims is higher than the salaries of many government employees. He made this declaration during the opening ceremony of the FirstBank Agric & Export Expo 2026 in Lagos, themed “From farm to global markets: Building Nigeria’s Export Value Chain.” Bago highlighted the significant potential of agriculture, especially livestock production, as a source of employment and economic growth.

He encouraged private investors to engage more in agriculture, suggesting that the disparity in wages could attract workers from other sectors, such as banking. Bago also warned against Nigeria's reliance on food imports, which he noted exceeded $3 billion for the year and could reach $4 billion.

He called for a national policy prioritizing domestic food production, emphasizing the importance of food sovereignty for the country.