The Governor of Jigawa State, Umar Namadi, has announced his administration’s plan to contribute 50 per cent of Nigeria’s total rice requirement by 2030.

He also reiterated his administration’s resolve to ensure that agriculture remains the mainstay of the state’s economy, with approximately 85% of its population engaged in the sector.

He disclosed this during a courtesy visit on Wednesday at the Government House in Dutse while receiving a delegation from the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC).

The delegation was led by the chairman of the Fiscal Efficiency and Budget Committee.

“We cultivate rice twice a year. In 2024 alone, we cultivated over 200,000 hectares of rice. This year, we are scaling up to over 250,000 hectares. By 2030, our target is 500,000 hectares and at the pace we are going, we will achieve that with ease,” said Namadi.

“Our ultimate goal is to contribute 3.6 million metric tons of rice annually to Nigeria’s rice production—representing close to 50% of the nation’s requirement. We have the land, the people, and the political will to make this happen.”

The Governor further noted his administration’s effort towards expediting Jigawa’s irrigation infrastructure.
According to him, his government has recorded historic breakthroughs in dry season farming in previously barren areas of the state.

“We have successfully introduced dry-season farming in desert-prone areas where agriculture was once thought impossible. Today, the youth in those communities have become fully engaged in productive farming and are no longer migrating out of the state for jobs.”

Speaking on Jigawa’s dominance in other crop sectors, Namadi stated that the state leads in the production of sesame seed and hibiscus flower in the country, and it can provide 50% of Nigeria’s rice and 50% of its wheat requirements.

“We currently contribute 75% of Nigeria’s non-oil agricultural exports, thanks to our dominance in these two key commodities. When it comes to wheat, we are also leading. We cultivated 55,000 hectares in 2024, and in 2025, we are doing 105,000 hectares.”