By Muhammad Mamman
The Northern Elders Forum (NEF) has declared that Northern Nigeria holds the resources and potential to feed the African continent.
The Forum made the claim on Monday in Abuja while unveiling the maiden Northern Nigeria Investment and Industrialisation Summit.
Scheduled for 29 and 30 September 2025, the event is being organised in collaboration with the 19 northern states and the New Nigeria Development Company (NNDC).
NEF spokesperson, Professor Abubakar Jika Jiddere, described the summit as more than just another conference.
“It is the unveiling of a fresh vision. An economic call to action. A strategic plan to unlock the promise of Northern Nigeria,” he told reporters.
The Forum said the region’s vast arable lands, abundant natural resources and a dynamic youthful population position it as a hub of opportunity.
Jiddere noted that 44 mineral resources had been identified in more than 500 locations across the North.
He said infrastructure—roads, railways, airports, dams, and energy networks—offered the backbone for transformation if integrated properly.
“Northern Nigeria can feed Africa. Its land is fertile, its rivers are vast, and its people are ready,” he said.
The Forum argued that underinvestment, insecurity and lack of coordination had slowed progress but insisted the new summit would turn the tide.
“This is not political. It is about the economy, opportunities, and creating prosperity,” Jiddere stressed.
The Forum also called attention to global partners, saying the summit was not just for Northern Nigeria but for the entire country and Africa.
“When Northern Nigeria rises, Nigeria rises. And when Nigeria rises, Africa rises,” Jiddere said.
The summit has been in the works for more than 18 months, with organisers identifying five pillars and three enabling strategies to drive development.
NEF said the goal was to strengthen the region’s development efforts, highlight its strengths, and open new doors of opportunity for Nigerians and their partners.
