Northern Nigeria No Longer Economic Parasite – Bauchi Governor

Bauchi State governor, Bala Mohammed, has rejected the long-standing narrative that Northern Nigeria depended solely on the wealth generated by other parts of the country, declaring that the North has become a significant contributor to the nation’s economy.

Speaking on Thursday during the closing session of the 2025 Bauchi Investment Summit at the Sir Ahmadu Bello International Conference Centre in 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,” he stated firmly, drawing applause from participants and stakeholders.

Governor Mohammed noted the surge of investment commitments signed during the two-day summit as clear proof that the region was emerging as a major economic hub.

To him, investor confidence in Bauchi State and neighbouring States reflected the North’s growing economic relevance.

He argued that the era of depending on crude oil revenues from the South must come to an 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 was reshaping Nigeria’s economic map.

Beyond oil, Governor Mohammed emphasised that the North is richly endowed with solid minerals and agricultural potential.

“The mineral resources in Bauchi is 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, one that recognises Northern Nigeria as a vital engine of growth rather than a burden.

He said that with the rising investment, untapped resources, and renewed confidence, the North was ready to take its rightful place as a full economic partner in Nigeria’s development.