Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago speaking at the FirstBank Agric & Export Expo 2026 in Lagos.
Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago has disclosed that graduate workers on his farm earn a minimum of N500,000 monthly. He made the disclosure at the FirstBank Agric & Export Expo 2026 in Lagos.
Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago speaking at the FirstBank Agric & Export Expo 2026 in Lagos.
Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago has disclosed that graduate workers on his farm earn a minimum of N500,000 monthly. He made the disclosure at the FirstBank Agric & Export Expo 2026 in Lagos.
By Adewale Omo Olubo I All Day TV
18 September 2026
Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago of Niger State has disclosed that graduate workers employed on his farm earn a minimum monthly salary of N500,000.
Bago made the disclosure in Lagos while speaking at the opening ceremony of the FirstBank Agric & Export Expo 2026, organised around the theme: “From Farm to Global Markets: Building Nigeria’s Export Value Chain.”
The governor, who described himself as a farmer, highlighted the potential of agriculture, particularly livestock production, to create employment opportunities and contribute significantly to Nigeria’s economic growth.
According to Bago, the remuneration offered to graduate workers on his farm is higher than what many government workers earn.
“In our farm, we pay a graduate minimum 500,000 monthly,” Bago said.
He subsequently questioned the level of salaries being paid in other sectors, including the public service and banking industry.
“How much does the government pay? FirstBank, how much do you pay?” he asked.
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Bago said the difference in remuneration demonstrated the capacity of private agricultural enterprises to provide competitive employment opportunities for graduates and other skilled workers.
“It means I can poach all FirstBank workers who earn less than my minimum wage, to my farm,” he added.
Bago urges private sector to invest in agriculture
The Niger State governor called on more private investors to venture into agriculture, stressing the need for greater private-sector participation in the sector.
He said agriculture, when properly developed and commercially driven, could provide employment while also contributing to food production and economic development.
Bago particularly pointed to livestock production as an area with significant potential, urging investors to look beyond conventional business sectors and explore opportunities across the agricultural value chain.
Governor raises concern over food imports
Bago also expressed concern over Nigeria’s continued dependence on imported food.
He said the country had imported food worth more than $3 billion within the year, warning that the figure could rise to $4 billion before the end of the year.
“It is scary,” the governor said.
He called for a deliberate national policy that would prioritise domestic agricultural production and reduce the country’s dependence on food imports.
Bago described food sovereignty as paramount, arguing that Nigeria must strengthen its capacity to produce enough food for its population.
According to him, greater attention to domestic production would not only address food security concerns but also create opportunities for employment, investment and economic growth.
From farms to global markets
The governor’s remarks at the expo centred on the need to transform agriculture from largely subsistence activities into commercially viable enterprises capable of creating jobs and competing in global markets.
He encouraged private-sector operators to increase investment in agriculture while calling for stronger attention to the entire agricultural value chain, from production to processing and export.
Bago’s position was that Nigeria’s agricultural potential should be harnessed more deliberately to create employment, improve food production and strengthen the country’s economic position.
The FirstBank Agric & Export Expo 2026 brought together stakeholders to discuss ways of strengthening Nigeria’s agricultural and export value chains, with particular attention to moving agricultural products from farms to local and international markets.