Northern Economy Amid Rising Insecurity

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s declaration at the Northern Nigeria Investment and Industrialisation Summit in Abuja on September 30, 2025, that “the future of Nigeria’s prosperity is inseparable from the future of northern Nigeria,” has gained renewed urgency following the high-level security meeting at the State House on November 23, 2025.

At the summit, themed “Unlocking Strategic Opportunities in Mining, Agriculture, and Power (MAP 2025),” Tinubu, represented by Finance Minister Wale Edun, emphasised harnessing the North’s minerals for industrial competitiveness, agriculture for food security, and power for national growth. The November meeting, convened with defence, police, and intelligence chiefs amid abductions like 145 people in Kebbi, Niger, and Zamfara between November 13 and 17, including 25 schoolgirls from Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga, Kebbi, on November 17, and 303 students from St. Mary’s Private Secondary School in Papiri, Niger, on November 21, yielded directives to crush banditry.

This intersection highlights how insecurity impedes development, yet it compels a reflection on resilience: Nigeria’s history of forging unity from diversity offers hope that the North’s resources can drive shared advancement.

The Federal government’s commitments under the Renewed Hope Agenda, launched in 2023, warrant analytical scrutiny. The 2025 national budget allocates N4.06 trillion to infrastructure, among which are focusing on Northern projects like the Mambilla Hydroelectric Plant in Taraba (3,050 MW capacity) and solar initiatives in Borno.

The Ministry of Solid Minerals Development’s 2024 roadmap aims to attract investments for minerals like lithium in Nasarawa and gold in Zamfara, estimated at $700 billion nationally. Agriculturally, the $158 million Value Chain North programme, signed in May 2025 with the African Development Bank, supports smallholders in Kano and Sokoto with inputs and markets, boosting yields by 15 per cent according to the bank’s interim report.

The Central Bank of Nigeria’s Q3 2025 report projects 3.3 per cent GDP growth from such unlocks, aligning with the agenda’s $1 trillion economy goal by 2030. These steps demonstrate a shift towards inclusive federalism, where the North’s potential fuels national cohesion.

However, gaps in execution, such as delayed funding for security-linked infrastructure, hinder impact, as insecurity disrupts mining in Zamfara, costing $9 billion annually in illegal gold losses according to 2024 Global Initiative report.

Northern governors have made positive strides in aligning with Tinubu’s vision, yet a reflective critique exposes inconsistencies in scale and sustainability. In Kaduna, Governor Uba Sani has expanded agricultural transformation, distributing inputs to thousands of farmers in 2025.

This complements the Value Chain North programme, enhancing market access. Zamfara Governor Dauda Lawal banned unlicensed mining in September 2023, formalising artisanal operations and securing partnerships, reducing environmental degradation as noted in ministry updates. In Gombe, Governor Inuwa Yahaya’s Dadin Kowa Dam upgrade (620 kW hybrid solar-hydro) has powered rural areas, increasing productivity according to the state’s data. Kano’s tax reforms, generating N50 billion in IGR in 2023, exemplify fiscal prudence per state audits. The Northern Elders Forum’s (NEF) MAP 2025 Summit in October secured $10 billion pledges for mining and agriculture, including solar in Borno.

These efforts merit praise for practicality, embodying resilience by turning insecurity’s challenges into opportunities for innovation, and fostering public-private ties that attract lithium investments in Nasarawa.

These initiatives merit praise for their practicality. Governor Sani’s federal engagements have expedited approvals, cutting bureaucratic delays according to general reports. In Gombe, Governor Yahaya’s hydro projects have illuminated rural areas, enhancing agricultural productivity. Social media sentiments reflect optimism about Northern development. Experts from PwC commend the investments for potential economic growth, validating Tinubu’s vision through transformative leadership.

However, a deep analysis reveals areas where governors must improve. Security remains a critical barrier; banditry in Zamfara disrupted mining, with illegal operations costing $9 billion annually in lost revenue, per a 2024 Global Initiative report. Despite Governor Lawal’s dialogues, attacks like November’s 145 abductions persist, deterring investors. Infrastructure deficits compound this; poor roads in Taraba hinder transport, with national paved roads at 27 per cent per World Bank data. Power shortages in Sokoto limit agro-processing, with national outages costing $26 billion yearly, as per a 2024 News Central report. Corruption in licensing, as Nigeria ranks 145th in Transparency International’s 2024 CPI, erodes trust, with bribes delaying Plateau projects. Environmental concerns, like pollution in Niger State’s artisanal sites affecting thousands per a 2024 WHO study, demand better regulation, yet enforcement is lax. Public frustration on social media reflects these gaps.

To bridge this, governors must enhance security through federal collaborations, like Kaduna’s community policing reducing incidents according to state reports. Invest in infrastructure; allocate 20 per cent of budgets to roads and power, as in Kano’s model. Combat corruption via transparent portals, piloted in Nasarawa. Address environmental risks with sustainable codes, engaging communities per NEF’s MAP. These steps would practically support Tinubu’s vision, turning potential into prosperity.

As a newspaper, we believe that Tinubu’s call demands action. Northern governors have made strides, but deeper reforms in security, infrastructure, and governance are essential to unlock prosperity. Hope lies in unity; by addressing gaps, the North can demonstratively lead.