President thanks residents for warm reception as governor seeks federal intervention on erosion, railway restoration and agricultural policies
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has expressed excitement over the reception he received in Jigawa State, thanking residents for welcoming him and Vice President Kashim Shettima during his visit to Dutse on Tuesday, November 10, 2026.
On his arrival in Dutse, Tinubu waved to thousands of supporters and residents of Jigawa who turned out to welcome him before proceeding to the Dutse Township Stadium, where he attended the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign rally and commissioned major projects executed by Governor Umar Namadi’s administration.
The President inaugurated four projects covering agricultural mechanisation, vocational training and road infrastructure, describing their impact in terms of food production, employment opportunities and improved livelihoods.
In a message after the visit, Tinubu expressed delight at the reception, saying, “I am still smiling from Dutse. You welcomed Vice President Shettima and me like family, and you even got your President dancing! Today was special.”
Tinubu commissions agricultural, skills development projects
The projects commissioned included the Renewed Hope Technical Services Fabrication Centre, the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Multipurpose Skills Acquisition Centre, the state’s agricultural mechanisation programme and the dualised road linking Kiyawa Road to Garu Emir’s Palace.
The Renewed Hope Technical Services Centre is equipped with facilities for welding and fabrication, automobile mechanics and vehicle painting, while the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Multipurpose Skills Acquisition Centre offers vocational training in carpentry, tailoring, fashion services, compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicle conversion, leather works, hairdressing, bead-making and beauty care.
The agricultural mechanisation programme comprises 400 tractors, 60 combine harvesters, 150 boom sprayers and 150 seeders, among other equipment, aimed at supporting large-scale farming and improving agricultural productivity.
Tinubu said the machinery would help increase food production, raise farmers’ incomes and improve the livelihoods of families and communities.
“When I commissioned those 400 tractors and 60 combine harvesters, I thought of the food they will help put on your tables, the income our farmers will earn, and what that prosperity will mean for their families and communities,” he said.
The President also highlighted the importance of the skills centres in equipping young people with practical trades, while noting that improved roads would provide farmers and traders with better access to markets.
The road project is a 3.5-kilometre dual carriageway connecting Kiyawa Road to Garu Emir’s Palace in Dutse, designed to improve urban connectivity.
Namadi highlights partnership, seeks federal intervention
In his welcome address, Governor Namadi described Tinubu’s visit as a defining moment in the history of Jigawa, noting that it combined the inauguration of development projects with the launch of the APC’s 2027 presidential campaign rally.
He thanked the President for personally commissioning the projects, saying his presence gave greater significance to the achievements and demonstrated the shared commitment of both administrations to improving people’s lives.
“Your presence and personal commissioning of these projects lend special significance to these achievements and reinforce our shared commitment to improving lives,” Namadi said.
The governor said the projects reflected the alignment between the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda and Jigawa’s 12-Point Agenda for a Greater Jigawa.
He also commended Tinubu for supporting development initiatives in the state, particularly the ongoing multi-billion-naira Greater Dutse Water Supply Project, which he disclosed was more than 60 per cent complete.
Namadi recalled that the project had remained on the drawing board for over a decade before the current administration’s renewed commitment to its implementation.
“That solemn promise you made during the 2023 campaign to our late Emir, Alhaji Nuhu Muhammad Sunusi, is becoming a reality,” he said, appealing to Tinubu to fast-track its completion.
The governor further acknowledged federal interventions in the state, including support during devastating floods, the Kano-Katsina-Maradi Railway project, 100 subsidised tractors under the Food Security Support Intervention and the establishment of the Federal College of Agriculture in Kirikasamma and the Federal College of Education in Birniwa.
He also acknowledged progress on the Gaya-Shuwarin-Azare and Kano-Gumel-Hadejia federal roads.
On social protection, Namadi disclosed that 192,000 residents of Jigawa had benefited from Federal Government cash transfers, with N14.36bn disbursed between 2024 and the time of his address.
However, he appealed for urgent federal intervention to address severe erosion affecting Hadejia, Dutse, Birnin Kudu and Gwaram, saying the scale of the problem had exceeded the capacity of the state government.
He also called for the restoration of the historic Kano-Nguru Railway Line to improve transportation and economic activities along the corridor.
On agriculture, the governor urged the Federal Government to review import tariff policies on wheat and rice to protect local farmers from unfair competition and encourage domestic production.
Describing Tinubu as a nationalist and patriot, Namadi said the President had demonstrated the courage to make difficult decisions, expressing confidence that continued collaboration would accelerate development in Jigawa and the country.
Tinubu pledges shared prosperity, thanks Jigawa residents
At the rally, Tinubu reiterated his administration’s commitment to improving electricity supply, strengthening the country’s industrial base, supporting businesses and expanding employment opportunities.
He also spoke about investment in healthcare, reducing the cost of living, strengthening security and creating opportunities across the country.
“We will provide reliable power, not the old privatisation that is not working. We will provide you with reliable power in this Nigeria,” the President told the gathering.
He said his administration would support nano, small and medium-scale businesses, expand job opportunities and develop the skills of Nigerians.
“For us in the APC, shared prosperity means our farmers earning more, our young people finding opportunities, and more families sharing in Nigeria’s progress,” he added.
Tinubu thanked Namadi for his partnership and service to the people of Jigawa, while expressing appreciation to residents for their support and prayers.
“To Governor Umar Namadi, thank you for your partnership and service to the people of Jigawa. And to the wonderful people of Jigawa, I carry your love and prayers back to Abuja with me,” he said.
The President concluded his message by promising to sustain the development efforts, saying, “Together, we will take this work further, all the way to 2031! Alhamdulillah!”
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