Niger Gov Bago: My Farm Pays Graduates ₦500,000 Monthly

Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago has revealed that graduate workers on his farm earn a minimum of ₦500,000 monthly, using the figure to argue that agriculture can provide well-paid jobs for young Nigerians.

Bago made the statement on Thursday at the FirstBank Agric & Export Expo 2026 in Lagos, where he spoke about agricultural production, wages and Nigeria’s food import dependence.

“In our farm, we pay a graduate minimum ₦500,000 monthly,” the governor said. He challenged banks and government institutions to compare their pay levels with what he said workers on his farm receive.

Bago has repeatedly presented agriculture as a major part of his economic vision for Niger State.

He argued that Nigeria needs to move beyond the traditional idea that university graduates must seek office-based government jobs.

His broader message was that agriculture can provide skilled employment while also increasing domestic food production.

The governor also warned about Nigeria’s dependence on imported food and called for stronger local production.His latest claim is not entirely new.

Bago has previously said that some workers on farms linked to his agricultural initiatives earn about ₦500,000, while promoting farm estates and agricultural investment in Niger State.

ValidViewNetwork reports that the ₦500,000 figure is Bago’s stated wage claim for workers on his farm. It should not be confused with the statutory national minimum wage or presented as the average salary for agricultural workers in Niger State.

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The significance of the claim lies in the governor’s argument that agriculture should be treated as a modern business capable of attracting graduates and skilled workers.

With food prices and youth employment remaining major national concerns, the debate over whether agriculture can become a serious source of well-paid employment is likely to continue.

Bago’s challenge is straightforward: move farming from subsistence activity to productive enterprise, create jobs around it and make food production financially attractive, ValidViewNetwork reports.