By Gambo Dori

The Abuja Continental Hotel, located in the heart of Abuja, was in a festive mood as the leadership of the North gathered to confront its challenges and unlock opportunities. The theme of the summit was ‘Unlocking Northern Nigeria’s Mining, Agricultural and Power Potential’. The two-day meeting, held under the auspices of the Northern Elders Forum, was attended by state governors, federal government ministers, members of the National Assembly, and a retinue of other officials. Industrialists, university dons, and opinion leaders from across the North were also present to help strategise for the upliftment of the North from its current state of decline.

I almost missed the event and was not present on the opening day. At the close of the first day, Nasarawa Governor Abdullahi Sule, who was present at the event, was interviewed on Channels TV. He is one governor whom you can’t help but admire for the manner in which he has leveraged his background and exposure to turn the fortunes of his state. And he was always in one studio or the other, engaging with the public. That evening, he spoke with Seun Okinbaloye at length on what was achieved at the summit, which caught my attention.

I read the report of the first day in various print media. I found out that the governors who spoke on the first day, Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State, Dauda Lawan of Zamfara State and Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State, all dwelt at length on the mineral and agricultural resources that abound in their states and what they are doing to actualise these potentials for the benefit of their citizens. The major problems they face are insecurity and an infrastructure deficit. On insecurity, the Zamfara governor was blunt. He said: “Investors, both domestic and international, are not philanthropists; they are realists. They will not commit capital where it is not safe.”

On the infrastructure deficit, the Gombe State governor said: “We are blessed with mineral wealth, fertile land, and vibrant human capital, but without railways, roads, power, and storage, the full value cannot be realised.” The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, spoke on behalf of the President, highlighting the government’s efforts to improve infrastructure in the North, including the delivery of gas as a strategic project for power plants. I have observed that the minister consistently attends events like this and remains engaged with the participants for as long as possible.

The next day, I was among the early arrivals at Ladi Kwali Hall, the event centre. I found the place lively, with all kinds of people milling around as the event was about to begin. Various traditional dance groups were scattered throughout, preparing to be called upon to entertain guests. Towards the sides, there were stalls staffed by representatives of northern state governments, as well as companies and industries showcasing their products. In line with the summit’s theme, the stalls displayed a range of mineral and agricultural products from the states. When I entered the hall, I saw the former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, and Yakubu Dogara, the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, preparing to join a group already on stage to discuss and share their views on the earlier presentations.

One of the major presentations of the day was Mohammed Hayatuddeen’s paper on harnessing technology as a driver of development in Northern Nigeria. A well-regarded technocrat, Hayatuddeen served as the Group Chief Executive of the NNDC in the 1980s and later the Managing Director of FSB International Bank. It was a well-researched and well-written paper that was widely appreciated by the audience. Hayatuddeen envisions a situation in the near future- ‘a Northern Nigeria where a farmer in Mambilla can send fresh milk to Singapore in 72 hours; where our miners in Jos export not raw ore but high-value products stamped “ethically sourced in Nigeria,” and our young people are building companies that compete on the world stage. This is not a fantasy; it is a choice.’ To prove that this was no whimsical thought, he took us along the path.

From Hayatuddeen’s perspective, technology is the key to unlocking the North’s potential. It would be necessary to integrate mining, agriculture, and power into a value-creating ecosystem where each sector strengthens the others. The region can then utilise emerging technologies, such as Artificial Intelligence and Blockchain, among others, to position the North for digital-first readiness. The North must also invest in region-wide broadband and affordable devices to connect everyone.

The presentation by Professor Ibrahim Garba on solid minerals was another high point of the summit. The professor, a geologist, had served as the Director-General of the Nigeria Mining Cadastre Office and later Vice-Chancellor of ABU Zaria and Kano State University of Science and Technology, Wudil. His paper, given his expertise, was similarly well received. One thing I took away from his presentation was his assertion that during the Indigenisation Decree in the 1970s, foreign miners took their expertise and technology with them, leaving the carcass of their set-up to be taken over by their cooks and stewards. Our mining efforts have remained at that rudimentary level since then.

I left the summit with many takeaways. For the North to prosper, mining and agriculture must be modernised. The infrastructure deficit must be fixed. And the governors of the North must unite under one cover.