By Ali Baba-Inuwa
Gov. Malam Umar Namadi was sworn in into office as the governor of Jigawa State, on May 29, 2023 after winning the state’s governorship election on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).Namadi was declared winner of the 2023 governorship election after winning with a margin of 249,723 votes.
He won in 26 out of the 27 local government areas of the state with a total of 618,449 votes, defeating Mustafa Lamido of the PDP who polled 368,726 and Aminu Ringim of NPP who got 37,156 votes.
On assumption of office, Namadi unveiled a 12- Points Agenda towards great transformation of the state to actualise its numberous potential.
These include: Agriculture and Food Security; Education; Road and Infrastructure; Water and Sanitation; Power and Renewable Energy; Security and Justice; Youth and Sports; Women and Children; Rural and LGA Development; Economic Empowerment and SMEs; Good Governance and Transparency.
A critical analysis of the three years of the administration of Gov. Namadi, reveals so much achievements in all sectors of the state without exception.
Looking at the agricultural sector for example, one will be confronted with numberous innovations and expansions tailored at harnessing the untapped potential of the state.
It is note worthy that the administration has successfully expanded the state’s annual rice cultivation from a megre 87,000 hectares to 350,000 hectares, placing the state 2nd in rice production in the country, with an increased yield of 4 tonnes per hectare from the previous 2.5 tonnes.
To achieve this, the administration established 60 agricultural service centers and created State Mechanization Company to midwife the transformation of the agriculture sector.
It also deployed 300 tractors, 60 combine harvesters and hundreds of threshers, boom sprayers and ploughs to the farms.
Currently, the state is ranked 1st in wheat, sesame and hibiscus production in Nigeria.
In the education sector, the administration declared a “State of Emergency” on basic education introducing numberous refoms towards tackling challenges in the sector.
The administration established an Education Management Information System (EMIS) to further drive its reforms.
More over, the administration invested N6.1 billion in Tsangaya education reform integrating Qur’anic studies with basic education. In 2025, N2.3 billion was approved for Tsangaya education, while N3.8 billion was approved in 2026 budget.
On October 3, Gov. Namadi presented appointment letters to over 2,000 newly recruited secondary school teachers, adding to the thousands of teaching staff recruited over the past three years as part of its efforts to strengthen the education sector in the state.
The event featured the presentation of appointment letters to 2,020 newly recruited teachers, comprising 1,100 appointed on permanent and pensionable terms and 920 engaged under the J-Teach programme.
Speaking at the ceremony, the governor said that the government had also provided schools uniforms and writing materials to students across the state.
The governor said the appointments represented another stage of the administration’s effort to strengthen the teaching workforce while creating employment opportunities for qualified young people.
Under Roads and Infrastructure, the administration has successfully completed the construction of 25 out of the 26 road projects inherited from the previous administrations covering over 400km.
It also awarded contacts for 46 new projects covering over 900km.
In the water resources sector, the state attained 85 percent access to clean water and was declared open defecation free, through the various government efforts.
Additionally, the administration approved N82 million for execution of water infrastructure projects including provision of 90 AFRIDEV hand pump boreholes and rehabilitation of faulty water facilities.
It also commissioned a N100million water project in Gwari Village in Dutse local government area of the state.
Under the Power and Renewable Energy sector, Street Lights were installed across the state improving public safety and Infrastructure.
The administration also sponsored over 140 students to study medicine in Cyprus and provided scholarships to over 1000 Fulani nomadic children 100 youths who were less privileged.
It also approved funds for tuition fees, administrative charges and other expenses for 184 students at Near East University, Cyprus under the Youth and Sports Agenda.
The Gov. Namadi led administration also renovated and upgraded 181 primary healthcare facilities as well as established five dialysis centers offering free services to kidney patients.
It also recruited over 1500 medical workers and approved an additional 1,000 in 2025 as well as launched the Girl for Health program, sponsoring girls from rural communities to study health sciences.
The administration also attained 70 immunization coverage and reduced child stunting rates from 64 percent in 2018 to 55 percent in 2024.
In addition to all these, the Namadi led administration has also placed the state in the world map by successfully attracting local and foreign investors to inject needed funds for the development of the state.
In July 2026, the government secured investment commitment of $140million after the state Economic and Investment Summit (J-INVEST 2026).
Speaking at the closing of the two-day summit, the Director General of Jigawa State Investment Promotion Agency (Jigawa Invest), Hajiya Aisha Sheikh Mujaddadi, said that the investment commitment includes $12.4 million for a modern livestock development project, $42 million for the Dutse International Hotel and Convention Centre, and $85 million for the Jigawa Renewable Energy Project.
Aside from these, the administration has also succeeded in attracting investors to various sectors of the state economy.
On Oct. 23 the administration recorded another milestone in its development strive by signing a $10million deal with an Indian firm, Srinivasa Farms Private Limited for the establishment of a modern hatchery in the state.
The Joint Venture Agreement is part of the government agricultural transformation efforts.
Speaking at the ceremony, Gov. Namadi, who presided over the ceremony, described the partnership as an important stage in the state’s agricultural transformation efforts and expressed confidence that it would create new opportunities for poultry farmers.
“I am confident that this project will revolutionize the poultry industry, not only in Jigawa State and Northern Nigeria, but across the country. It is also part of our efforts to support the federal government’s agenda on food security,” the governor said.
He stated that the partnership followed engagements with Srinivasa Farms, including a visit to its facilities in India, where the state delegation observed its poultry operations and programmes for supporting smallholder farmers.
“The way the company empowers smallholder farmers, helping them to grow and establish sustainable businesses, greatly impressed us. We believe that Jigawa State has many poultry farmers who have struggled year after year, facing several challenges and making losses.
“With this joint venture, I believe the poultry industry will thrive in Jigawa State, Insha Allah.”
Conclusion, it is no doubt that Gov. Namadi has over the years, made a strong impression of his intentions to ensure social and economic development of the state through his numberous projects.
As the February 2027 Governorship Election approaches, most stakeholders in the state believe that the governor would have little or no opposition in his quest for re-election.
For Sen.Abdulhamid Ahmed Malammadori(APC- Jigawa) Gov. Namadi is doing exceptionally well and it would be foolhardy for anyone to contest against him.
Malammadori who represents Jigawa North East at the National Assembly, said the governor would win the 2027 polls with landslide victory.
“Gov. Umar Namadi is doing well, therefore, there’s no need for anybody to think of challenging him in the 2027 election.
“He deserves a second term come 2027 because of his outstanding performance, and is positively touching the socio-economic lives of the people through human and infrastructural projects in both rural and urban areas,” he said.
Malammadori said that was the more reason members of the National Assembly from the state have been working closely with the governor to spread dividends of democracy across the state.
Members of the State House of Assembly have also unanimously passed a vote of confidence in Gov. Namadi, endorsing him as their sole candidate for the 2027 governorship election.
The resolution was reached during plenary, citing developmental projects executed across the 30 constituencies of the state as the basis for his endorsement and to ensure continuity of ongoing programmes and projects.
Speaker of the House, Alhaji Haruna Aliyu Dangyatin, said the administration’s achievements over the past three years had positively impacted the lives of the people of the State.
Other members of the Assembly also praised the governor’s performance, describing his leadership as focused on growth and public welfare.
Most importantly, the state APC Youths have endorsed the re-election of the governor for 2027 poll, targeting 2 million votes for both the governor and President Bola Tinubu.
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