The Director‑General of the Nigerian Agribusiness Group, Dr. Manzo Maigari, who served as the North‑West stakeholders’ coordinator for Special Duties in the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council, discussed with Israel Bulus how Nigeria can maximise the benefits of its agricultural potential and why Bola Tinubu defeated northern candidates in the February 25 presidential election. He noted that many people are unaware of Tinubu’s extensive political network; those who know it would not be surprised by his victory. Tinubu is a leader who recruits talented individuals, and many current political figures owe their positions to him, which helped him overcome strong northern opponents such as former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso.
Addressing claims that some northern governors supported Tinubu for personal gain as they approached the end of their second terms, Dr. Maigari responded that politics is fundamentally a game of interests, not a moral endeavour. “I am a northerner and I supported Tinubu 1,000 percent because I saw my interests protected under his presidency,” he said. He added that Tinubu’s emergence marks an economic turning point for the country; the former Lagos governor demonstrated his capacity to transform the state’s economy into one of Africa’s largest, and his southern background reinforces Nigeria’s tradition of rotational presidency, which contributes to national stability. New ideas on banditry and terrorism are expected, and the Lagos mega‑city plan’s integration of Oyo and Ogun economies could be replicated in Abuja to link Kaduna, Niger, Nasarawa, and Kogi states.
When asked about concerns over Tinubu’s age and health, Dr. Maigari dismissed them as unfounded speculation, calling such accusations “blackmail.” He emphasized that no medical report has proven any incapacity and that opinions should not be mistaken for facts.
Regarding agriculture, Dr. Maigari, a former commissioner for agriculture in Kaduna State during Governor Nasir El‑Rufai’s first term, recommended establishing regional commodity exchange centres with private‑sector investment and limited government equity (no more than 25 %). Each state should have its own exchange focusing on priority crops—such as ginger, vegetables, maize, and soy in Kaduna—and livestock. Revenue from these exchanges, including taxes on marketed commodities, would surpass federal allocations and internally generated revenue. He lamented that Southern Kaduna’s ginger potential remains underexploited; despite its valuable value chain, local producers see little profit while Indian and Chinese firms reap the benefits. The problem, he argued, is not lack of government support but the dominance of oil, which has eclipsed agriculture since its discovery.
Middlemen profit at the expense of small farmers, a situation Dr. Maigari believes can be reversed only if farmers organise themselves. His company, in partnership with the MasterCard Foundation, supported about 60,000 ginger farmers to cultivate one‑hectare plots—sufficient for family sustenance—but the initiative fell short of creating a robust cooperative society. He observed that many farmers resist organisation, preferring independence over collective action, and often view farming merely as a subsistence activity rather than a business. Successful regions, he noted, are those where cooperatives enable access to credit for inputs and guarantee repayment after harvest. However, defaults and lack of respect for cooperative leadership undermine long‑term development.
On industrialisation, Dr. Maigari argued that building ginger‑processing facilities should start with Southern Kaduna entrepreneurs. Political risk, he warned, deters outsiders; investors may face defamation or community hostility if perceived as non‑locals. Empowering local people and fostering hope will attract investment and create value‑adding industries.
Banditry and terrorism, which restrict farm access and cause hunger, require a balanced government response. While security forces must prevent the emergence of parallel governments, heavy‑handed tactics can be seen as human‑rights abuses and exacerbate the problem. Addressing subsistence farming and food sufficiency involves educating farmers, enhancing productivity, and promoting cooperatives that aggregate produce to negotiate better prices. Currently, middlemen capture about 70 % of profits, leaving farmers with only 30 %; cooperatives can reverse this imbalance by dealing directly with manufacturers and exporters.
Regarding the recent governorship election, Dr. Maigari expressed confidence in Senator Uba Sani’s leadership. Sani’s background includes activism under Gani Fawehinmi and Ransome Kuti, advisory roles to former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Governor Nasir El‑Rufai, and a Senate term during which he facilitated the establishment of three computer centres in Kaduna State and upgraded primary health centres in his constituency. Dr. Maigari believes Sani will drive rapid development in the state.
On the conduct of the election, he affirmed that it was free and fair, acknowledging inevitable imperfections in any democratic process. While complaints about the BVAS system arose, the lack of electronic voting and weak infrastructure limited its effectiveness. He stressed that aggrieved parties have legal avenues for redress, which is essential for democratic consolidation.
Reflecting on his tenure as commissioner, Dr. Maigari highlighted several achievements: the World Bank‑backed Commercial Agricultural Development Programme (CADP), the APPEALS project supporting the ginger value chain, attracting Olam International to create jobs, establishing the Tomato Jos processing factory—one of Nigeria’s largest—and initiating Vicampro, which aimed for potato self‑sufficiency before encountering setbacks. These initiatives illustrate his commitment to advancing Nigeria’s agricultural sector.
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