By Thewatch.ng

Niger State Governor, Muhammad Umaru Bago, has once again sounded the alarm over Africa’s crippling reliance on food imports, declaring that the continent spends a staggering $55 billion annually importing staples like rice, wheat, maize, and vegetable oils.

Speaking in Cairo, Egypt, following a strategic meeting with Arab Contractors one of Egypt’s largest infrastructure and engineering giants Bago emphasized that Africa has everything it needs to feed itself and the world.

“Africa must begin to take itself seriously. With our land, water, and youth, there is no excuse to be importing food in such volumes,” Bago said.

Niger State, he pointed out, is a perfect example of this untapped potential. Boasting over 5 million hectares of arable land and 1,850 kilometers of riverfront, the state alone can produce up to 50 million tons of food annually.

In a powerful step toward actualizing that vision, Governor Bago secured an agreement with Arab Contractors to invest in large-scale agricultural production in Niger State.

The firm’s global chairman, Ahmed Moustafa El Assar, pledged to visit Nigeria in May 2025 alongside officials from Egypt’s Ministries of Agriculture and Irrigation. Their goal? To assess the possibilities of transforming Niger State into a continental food hub.

“The Egyptian Government is fully committed to food security — not just for Egypt but for Nigeria as well,” El Assar assured.

Bago’s message to African leaders was clear: stop depending on imports and start building from within.