Niger state government has reaffirmed its commitment to agriculture as a key driver of food security and economic growth.

It described the sector as a top priority of Governor Umaru Bago led-administration.

Isah Sidi-Rijau, commissioner for agriculture, said this during a one-day retreat for management staff of the Ministry and its agencies.

The event was held at Zaima Farms Limited in Minna on Tuesday.

He said the retreat would review the ministry’s activities and mandate, as well as map out plans for the effective implementation of the 2026 budget.

Mr Sidi-Rijau said the exercise would help the ministry to better understand its current position and future direction in order to improve service delivery to farmers across the state.

Earlier, Matthew Ahmed, permanent secretary of the ministry, said the priority given to agriculture by Mr Bago was a deliberate move to ensure that the state becomes self-sufficient in food production.

He said the retreat would review performance, assess challenges and chart strategies for effective implementation of the 2026 agricultural programmes.

Mr Ahmed added that the retreat would also enable management staff to critically examine the ministry’s mandate and evaluate its key performance indicators.

“We have gathered here to take a step back and reflect on our mandate, assess our key performance indicators and evaluate our level of implementation in 2025,” he said.

According to him, the retreat will also address challenges encountered and develop practical solutions to improve performance going forward.

He said the retreat would feature frank discussions to review action plans and develop strategies to enhance farmer support and increase agricultural production in 2026.

“The governor has placed agriculture at the front burner of this administration. As a ministry, we must work together to ensure that Niger feeds itself, feeds Nigeria and contributes to food security across Africa,” he added

Also speaking, the Head of Service, Abubakar Sadiq, described the initiative as timely and commendable.

Mr Sadiq, represented by James Kolo, permanent secretary, Public Service Office, said the retreat was taking place at the beginning of the year.

He said this was when ministries were expected to critically assess their programmes and determine practical steps toward achieving food security.

He said that the passage of the budget made it imperative for ministries to focus on implementation.

Mr Sadiq added that the Office of the Head of Service would provide necessary support to ensure the success of the ministry’s programmes.

(NAN)