Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, on Tuesday expressed concern over the prolonged delay in the completion of the Maiduguri–Sokoto highway, describing it as a critical infrastructure project that has remained unfinished despite its importance to northern Nigeria.
Speaking during the launch of Premier Seeds Nigeria Limited’s seed processing plant in Muhammadu Buhari Industrial Park Gombe, supported by the UK Government-funded Propcom+ programme, Obasanjo highlighted the road’s strategic role in connecting different regions of the North.
Our correspondent reports that the seed processing plant is expected to boost access to improved seed varieties, enhance food production, and generate jobs across the agricultural value chain in Gombe and neighbouring states.
Obasanjo said, “When we were farming, we were talking about infrastructure — roads. You and I know that we talk of Maiduguri–Sokoto road. It started many years ago. I started that road; up till today it has not been completed.”
The former president continued saying, “I left government in 2007. In two years’ time, it will be 20 years since I left office — and that road is still not done. Yet, it’s a very important road for this part of the country, to connect the East and West in the Northern region.”
Obasanjo, who is also a strong advocate for agricultural development, commended the new seed facility, emphasising the broader impact of agricultural investment on livelihoods and regional development.
“We are not only giving employment and creating wealth for our population,” he noted, “we are going beyond our population and doing the same for other people.”
Propcom+’s Country Representative, Dr Adiya Ode stated that, among other things, this investment by the UK Government-funded Propcom+ would address gaps in the availability and affordability of certified seeds in the North-East region.
“This investment is vital to us in Propcom+, particularly the FCDO, as it solves a critical logistical challenge affecting smallholder farmers in Northeastern Nigeria. With this new plant, improved climate-adapted seeds can now be available to smallholder farmers at a much lower cost,” Dr. Ode stated.
“Access to improved, certified, climate-smart seed varieties that are high-yielding, flood tolerant, drought-tolerant and disease-resistant, as well as varieties that are biofortified, such as Pro-Vitamin A Maize and Iron Pearl Millet, are essential to building climate resilience among smallholder farmers and small-scale seed entrepreneurs, and we are delighted to have made this happen”.
“We congratulate the management of Premier Seeds Nigeria Limited for achieving this major feat”, Dr Ode said, adding that increased access to climate-adapted certified seeds will further improve the productivity and resilience of smallholder farmers and small-scale entrepreneurs, strengthen nutrition outcomes and contribute to improving food security in Nigeria.
Additionally, the company will leverage this investment to expand its outgrower scheme to about 2,000 smallholder farmers who will be involved in seed multiplication, and to build their capacity to reduce their vulnerability to climate shocks. Also, the certified seeds processed from the new plant in Gombe State will be distributed to the last mile through a network of seed entrepreneurs called rural seed promoters (RSPs), linked to major agro dealers in each Local Government across the six Northeastern states.
Premier Seed Nigeria Limited’s Managing Director, Dr Ibitoye Oyewale, said the new processing plant in Gombe State is a major milestone for the company.
“For many years, we’ve been in operations in the Northwest, but this is the first processing plant we are establishing in the Northeast, and we are very appreciative of the key role played by Propcom+ through funding provided by the UK Government,” Oyewale said.
“This new plant has increased our seed processing capacity from 20 metric tons per hour to 35 metric tons per hour. By reducing the logistic cost associated with moving seeds from our only existing seed processing factory in Zaria, Kaduna State, we are bringing affordable, climate-smart seeds closer to demand centres,” he added.
Governor Muhammadu Yahaya said the commissioning represents the fulfillment of his administration’s vision for agricultural transformation and industrialisation.
“This event marks a significant milestone in our efforts to position Gombe as a leading agro-industrial hub in Nigeria. Premier Seed Nigeria Limited, as the pioneer investor in this Industrial Park, is helping us translate our vision into reality,” the governor stated.
