Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal has urged leaders of the 19 northern states to unite and speak with one voice on security and economic issues.
The governor’s spokesperson, Sulaiman Bala Idris, disclosed this in a statement on Monday after Dauda chaired the opening of the Northern Nigeria Investment and Industrialization Summit at the Abuja Continental Hotel.
The summit was organized by the Northern Elders Forum, led by Professor Ango Abdullahi.
Governor Dauda commended the forum for its commitment to northern development, noting that the summit’s theme, “Unlocking Strategic Opportunities,” reflected the region’s priorities in mining, agriculture, and power.
He stressed that security must come first if the North is to attract serious investments, saying: “Investors are not philanthropists; they are realists. They will not commit capital where it is not safe.”
The governor highlighted efforts in Zamfara to regulate mining, modernize agriculture, and strengthen community security.
He called for a Northern Nigerian Economic Compact a binding agreement among the 19 states to collaborate on security, co-invest in infrastructure, and establish a single window for major investors.
According to Governor Lawal, such unity will help the North turn its natural potential into lasting prosperity.
