BENUE STATE: Beyond Rhetoric Of Food Basket Of The Nation

As a member of the visiting delegation of the Nigeria Commodity Exchange (NCX) to Benue, the Food Basket of the Nation, I feel compelled to convey my candid opinion on my experience in the State. To start with, Benue State stands not as a neglected entity, but an underexplored domain, rich in latent opportunities awaiting realisation. Conspicuous in our discussions with the Benue Investment and Property Company (BIPC) was the imperatives of collaboration, heralding a fundamental shift toward harnessing the State’s abundant agricultural and mineral assets to propel Nigeria’s comprehensive economic advancement.

The State’s agricultural dominance is evident in her expansive cultivable topography, nutrient-rich soils and favorable weather patterns, which collectively facilitate robust yields of essential commodities, such as yam, maize, paddy rice, soybeans and cassava. These massive outputs sustain vast populations across the country and provide vital raw materials for industries, such as food processing and beverage production, to mention but a few. However, in spite of the immense promises of its natural assets, the River Benue – one of Nigeria’s significant inland waterways – remains largely underutilized for irrigation and large-scale farming; rather serving mainly as a source of fishing activities. Complementing this agrarian foundation, Benue is also blessed with abundance of mineral deposits – 34 of Nigeria’s 44 recognized resources – an endowment that underscores both its vast developmental potential and the governance imperatives required to manage it effectively.

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In addition, Benue State is centrally situated within Nigeria; it is ideally positioned to disseminate economic prospects, entice capital inflows and advance enduring supply networks across agriculture, extraction and industrial fabrication. This strategic advantage reinforces the NCX’s initiative to establish the Benue Commodity Aggregation and Trading Hub within the State; thereby solidifying its contributions to national food security, commercial cohesion and feasible sectoral collaboration. Through targeted strategies, designed to propel industrialisation and cultivate a conducive atmosphere for commerce and capital deployment, Benue State towers as an indispensable vanguard of equitable progress and enhanced economic outputs.

While Benue’s economic and agricultural promises remain undisputable, some parts of the State have, over the years, faced persistent security challenges that have constrained its full potential. Incidents of farmer-herder conflicts, banditry and communal clashes have disrupted farming activities, displaced communities and strained social cohesion. These issues bring to bear the urgent need for sustainable peace building, proactive security reforms and inclusive dialogue and reconciliation that protect lives and property of the citizens. Fortunately, renewed collaboration between State authorities, security agencies and community structures is beginning to restore confidence in affected areas. For the State to produce optimally and reclaim its status, the quest for development must go hand in hand with the restoration of peace, stability and trust among its people.

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My commendations go to His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for his thoughtful directives, aimed at halting unprocessed exports and prioritising value chain addition – a genuine transformative agenda, whose impacts are already manifesting nationwide. Likewise, I acknowledge His Excellency, Governor Hyacinth Iormem Alia, for his innovative governance and the laudable appointment of Dr. Raymond Asenakaha, CFA, as Group Managing Director of BIPC; whose strategic leadership, perceptive expertise and sincere commitment are driving substantive reforms. Under his renewed direction, Benue welcomes entrepreneurship and investment, poised to reclaim its prominent position. And as this transformation unfolds, the youth of Benue stand tall with hope, enthusiasm and determination, ready to embrace innovation, productive engagement and transformative opportunities that will re-define not only the State’s resurgence, but the renaissance of Nigeria’s agricultural and industrial future.

Undoubtedly, this dormant powerhouse is rising to its full vitality. In essence, Benue is open for business and investment. In effect, the State is moving from the rhetorics of potentials to real productivity and from production to prosperity; therefore, underscoring that the sleeping giant is fully awake.

Kunle Adesiyan writes from Abuja and can be reached via aadesiyan@ncx.com.ng, kundad001@gmail.com or 08060367352.