Summit on Unlocking Strategic Opportunities in Northern Nigeria: Four Missing Keys
By Baba El-Yakubu
We are witnessing an interesting moment in economic development of northern Nigeria. The recently concluded Northern Nigeria Investment and Industrialization Summit (NNIIS), organized under the auspices of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), could well mark the beginning of a long-overdue renaissance for a region that once defined the industrial and agricultural destiny of Nigeria. With its theme, “Unlocking Strategic Opportunities in Mining, Agriculture and Power (MAP 2025)”, the summit represents a critical intervention in redirecting Northern Nigeria’s economic trajectory toward productivity, inclusivity, and sustainability. Stakeholders pledge over $10 billion for investment in the region’s primary sectors — mining, agriculture, and power. Even more promising is the establishment of the Northern Nigeria Economic Development Council (NNEDC) and its accompanying Northern Nigeria Economic Development Master Plan (NNEDMP), which are structured on three pragmatic pillars: security, policy coherence, and private capital mobilization. This initiative comes at a critical juncture when the region, once the cradle of visionary leadership and strategic planning, finds itself trapped a cycle of poverty, insecurity, and economic inertia. It deserves commendation not only for its ambition but also for its timing. However, there are four important missing links. I will come back to these later.
To appreciate the significance of this moment, one must revisit the towering legacy of Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto, who, in the 1950s and early 1960s, designed and implemented a comprehensive regional development plan for the North.
Despite limited financial and technical resources, his vision was grand and transformative. He understood that genuine progress rests on education, industrialization, and agriculture — the three pillars that would give Northern Nigeria self-reliance and pride. He established companies that became engines of economic growth. Recognizing this need, he established Ahmadu Bello University to develop the requisite human capital for the region. He focused on agriculture by establishing irrigation and research institutions such as the Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR) and prioritized cash-crop production that turned Northern Nigeria into an agricultural powerhouse. It was a time when the North fed the nation, clothed the people, and contributed immensely to Nigeria’s industrial and fiscal backbone.
However, the decades that followed saw a gradual erosion of that vision. Successive administrations across the northern states failed to consolidate or modernize the Sardauna’s foundation. Industrial plants were left to decay, agricultural productivity stagnated, and the region’s human capital development faltered. Today, agriculture contributes about 25% of Nigeria’s GDP, yet only 5–7% is processed. Governance became reactive rather than visionary. Too many governors came into office without clear blueprints or measurable goals, while those who did often succumbed to political distractions. This leadership vacuum widened the socio-economic gaps, leading to unemployment, poverty, and insecurity. The once-proud region that built industries and universities has become a land where hunger and despair fuel insurgency and banditry. The launch of the NNEDC and its master plan is thus a breath of fresh air. Its focus on Mining, Agriculture, and Power (MAP 2025) is both strategic and realistic — leveraging the region’s natural endowments and energy potential to rebuild its economic base.
But if the NNEDC is to succeed where others have failed, it must go beyond traditional sectors. It must boldly integrate four cross-cutting pillars: Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), renewable energy innovation, and digital entrepreneurship into its core development agenda. In today’s world, economic power lies in data, knowledge, and technology. Agriculture itself is now data-driven. Mining exploration depends on AI-enabled mapping, and power generation requires smart grids and energy management systems. The North cannot afford to build its future solely on analog industries while the world moves into the digital economy.
Northern Nigeria has a youth bulge — millions of energetic, intelligent, and ambitious young men and women. Our median age of just 18.1 in early 2025, and over 70% of the population under 30. What they lack are skills and opportunities. ICT and AI present the perfect bridge. If properly aligned, the NNEDMP could create digital innovation hubs across the 19 northern states — spaces that provide training, mentorship, and incubation for start-ups. States like Kaduna, Kano, and Borno could become centers of tech-based agriculture, AI-driven logistics, and renewable energy innovations. Moreover, ICT inclusion can democratize access to education, healthcare, and governance — bringing transparency, efficiency, and empowerment. A northern economy that combines its agricultural strength with digital transformation will not only reduce unemployment but also attract global partnerships in technology, agritech, and clean energy. In a recent article in the New York Times, titled “I Just Saw the Future. It Was Not in America”, Thomas L. Friedman, shows China’s clear strategic move ahead of the US in optimum integration of old and new technologies. China’s industries such as manufacturing, aviation, defense and internal security architecture have been interwoven with Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), and robotics. China’s facial recognition and smart-payment infrastructure are second to none. Northern Nigeria’s new initiatives should not ignore these lessons.
We can learn another important lesson from our recent history. We must guard against old mistakes. Ambition without discipline leads to disappointment. For this new northern awakening to succeed, governors must show genuine commitment — not just lip service. They must provide enabling environments: clear policies, land reforms, incentives for investors, and unwavering political support. The NNEDC must operate as a professional, transparent, and technocratic body, insulated from political interference. Its leaders must prioritize outcomes over politics, professionalism over patronage. Equally, the pledges of $10 billion must be translated into tangible projects — solar farms, mechanized agriculture, mineral value chains, industrial clusters, ICT parks, and transport corridors. The time for summits without substance is over.
The North once built its economy on groundnut pyramids; it can now rebuild it on digital pyramids built on knowledge, innovation, and technology. If the Northern Nigeria Economic Development Council (NNEDC) integrates mining, agriculture, power, and digital transformation into a coherent master plan, it will not only revive the regional economy but also reposition Northern Nigeria as Africa’s next frontier of inclusive growth. The dream of the Sardauna was self-reliance, dignity, and prosperity for his people. The tools have changed, but the mission remains the same. The North must now transform from a land of unfulfilled potential to a hub of digital and industrial excellence.
Baba El-Yakubu is a Professor of Chemical Engineering, Ahmadu Bello University: Email: [email protected]
