Niger State Governor Umar Bago has announced plans to stop the direct supply of live cattle to Lagos and other South West states, insisting that his government will process meat locally and send only frozen products to the region.
Speaking at the First Bank 2025 Agric and Export Expo in Lagos on Tuesday, Bago said the move was aimed at ensuring that farmers in the North reap maximum benefits from their labour while strengthening local value addition.
“We will process our meat in Niger so that our farmers reap the full benefits of their labour. This way, the value and pricing will be in our hands,” Bago declared.
The governor also pledged to expand agricultural collaboration with Lagos State by increasing land allocation from 20,000 hectares to 100,000 hectares, a development expected to boost food output and interstate cooperation.
His announcement came during a forum where Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu warned that Nigeria is losing billions by exporting raw agricultural commodities instead of processed goods.
Sanwo-Olu lamented that despite rising crop output, the country still exports mostly unprocessed produce, thereby forfeiting jobs, wealth, and competitiveness in global markets.
“The global marketplace is not waiting for Nigeria,” Sanwo-Olu said. “Other African countries are aggressively positioning their agricultural products, securing market share, and attracting investments into agribusiness. If Nigeria must take its rightful place, we must be strategic and relentless in driving non-oil exports.”
The Lagos governor stressed that while his administration had invested heavily in transport infrastructure, port modernization, and digital trade platforms, financing remains the biggest barrier.
“Export competitiveness requires access to finance. Without it, we will continue exporting raw commodities and losing real wealth,” he said.
Sanwo-Olu further commended President Bola Tinubu’s administration for renewed efforts to boost non-oil exports but argued that greater value would only be derived if finished goods are prioritized.
“Lagos is the launchpad for Nigeria’s engagement with the global economy,” he said. “Most of the nation’s exports pass through Lagos ports and logistics corridors. This places a responsibility on us to create an enabling environment for agribusiness and value addition.”
Themed “The Fundamentals of Building an Export-Driven Economy,” the First Bank Expo brought together policymakers, investors, and entrepreneurs to explore strategies for diversifying Nigeria’s economy away from oil dependence.
