President Bola Tinubu, yesterday, declared his administration’s commitment to transform the country into a global leader in agricultural exports by the year 2025. 

Tinubu spoke at the ‘Road to South South National Convergence for the Renewed Hope Agenda’ at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. The President also said his government was making progress in delivering the dividends of democracy to Nigerians as promised.

He stated this yesterday while commissioning the Command and Control Centre of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) named the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Technology Innovation Centre (BATTIC), yesterday, in Abuja.

The President also commended the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, for his transformative leadership and innovative strides in the NIS. Unveiling of the centre, he said, is a testament to the unflinching commitment of his administration to better the lives of Nigerians by ensuring national security.

Represented by the Minister of Regional Development, Abubakar Momoh, at the Villa event, Tinubu outlined his administration’s agricultural vision under the ‘Earn from the Soil’ initiative, a flagship programme designed to pivot Nigeria from oil dependency to a diversified economy driven by agriculture.  

“By 2025, we will position Nigeria as a leading agricultural export nation,” he assured. The initiative, the President explained, seeks to transform subsistence farming into export-driven enterprises, providing a roadmap to enhance food security and economic sustainability. 

“Project ‘Earn from the Soil’ is a food security initiative capable of transforming subsistence farming into robust, export-driven economic opportunities, thereby revolutionising our agricultural landscape and ensuring national food security,” he noted.

The South South region was spotlighted as a vital player in this transformation due to its rich natural resources and abundant human capital.  Tinubu emphasised the untapped potential of the region, stating, “When we properly harness the human and material resources, this region has the potential to embody the transformative potential of Nigeria.”

Calling on both local and international investors to buy into the idea, the President reiterated that the South South region and Nigeria as a whole were “open for business.” 

“My promise to Nigerians was to restore and renew their hope and confidence in their ability to excel. That promise is being fulfilled today,” Tinubu added, expressing optimism for the success of the event and the broader Renewed Hope Agenda.

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement (South South), Gift Johnbull, spotlighted the region as a critical hub of untapped economic potential, calling for strategic partnerships to unlock its vast resources and foster national growth.

AT the unveiling of BATTIC, Tinubu also said, “From the beginning of our administration, we promised to deliver and execute innovative solutions across the government, including NIS. Thank God, today we achieved that and we are making tremendous progress.

“This state-of-the-art complex comprises seven key components, including a Data Centre, command and control centre, Visa Approval Centre, ECOWAS Card Centre, a solar farm and a passports personalisation centre.”

Technology, he noted, is indispensable to drive national growth and benefit from economic opportunities as well as in the areas of ease of entry and exit across our borders.

Tunji-Ojo pointed that the President’s dream in transforming Nigeria had been the driving force of Artificial Intelligence (Al) reforms and innovations that the ministry has embarked upon.

Tinubu praised Tunji-Ojo for his refusal to accept the status quo and for spearheading reforms that bolstered Nigeria’s reputation within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and beyond.

He highlighted the minister’s pivotal role in establishing the ECOWAS Card Centre, a facility aimed at enhancing regional integration and cooperation. “You have given this country a great reputation, not just within ECOWAS and Africa,” Tinubu stated.