Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, has rejected the long-standing narrative that Northern Nigeria depends solely on wealth generated by other regions, declaring that the North has become a significant contributor to the nation’s economy.
Speaking during the closing session of the Bauchi Investment Summit at the newly inaugurated Sir Ahmadu Bello International Conference Centre, Bauchi, the governor said the North has “over the years generated and contributed massive resources to the national cake. Northern Nigeria is not a parasite on anybody.”
The governor noted the surge of investment commitments signed during the summit as proof that the region is emerging as a major economic hub.
To him, investor confidence in Bauchi and neighbouring states reflects the North’s growing economic relevance.
He argued that the era of depending on crude oil revenues from the South must end, especially since oil deposits are now being discovered in Bauchi and other northern states.
“The oil bromate has to end,” he said, stressing that the discovery of crude oil in the North is reshaping Nigeria’s economic map.
Beyond oil, Mohammed emphasised that the North is richly endowed with solid minerals and agricultural potential.
“The mineral resources in Bauchi are the same in Plateau, Taraba, Kano and Borno,” he noted, pointing out that the region’s wealth has been undervalued for too long.
The governor called for a new national outlook that recognises Northern Nigeria as a vital engine of growth rather than a burden.
He said that with rising investment, untapped resources and renewed confidence, the North is ready to take its place as a full economic partner in Nigeria’s development.
