Zamfara unveils 10-year development plan, aims African benchmark for growth

Governor Dauda Lawal has launched Zamfara State’s first comprehensive 10-year development plan (2025-2034), calling it an evidence-based roadmap to transform the state.

Launched on Friday at the JB Yakubu Secretariat in Gusau, the plan was developed over eight months by the advisory firm KPMG in close collaboration with the State Executive Council, traditional rulers, religious leaders, and other stakeholders.

Governor Lawal stated that the plan is built on robust data, extensive consultations, and is aligned with major frameworks including the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Nigeria’s National Development Plan 2050, and the African Union’s Agenda 2063.

“It sets clear sectoral priorities, measurable outcomes, and a monitoring and evaluation framework to ensure transparency,” he said.

The blueprint rests on six core pillars: economy, infrastructure, social welfare, human capital, governance, and environmental sustainability. It aims to leverage the state’s strengths in agriculture and natural resources through partnerships, such as an agreement with the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MoFI) and funding from the African Development Bank.

The goal is to boost mechanized farming, agro-processing, and value chains to create jobs, improve food security, and reduce poverty-driven insecurity.

“We envision Zamfara becoming a benchmark for transformative economic growth – not merely for Nigeria but the continent of Africa,” Governor Lawal declared, adding that the plan is about “redefining the fate of our state” and “rekindling hope for the young, dignity for the vulnerable, opportunity for the enterprising and stability for all.”

About The Author

Dele Fashomi

Dele Fashomi, seasoned journalist and communication teacher, is a holder of Master of Arts degree in Communication and Language Arts from the University of Ibadan in 1992/93.

Earlier, he had bagged a Bachelor degree from the same university in 1984, after which he proceeded to the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos, in 1990, for a postgraduate diploma in Journalism.

He had done many courses in communication, including the EU-BBC Editing Course in 2002.

Mr. Fashomi combines effectively the practice, research and teaching of communication. And to date, he has published two academic works in communication: Issues in Communication Technology and Policy (2010) and Economic and Social Issues in Advertising and PR (2013).

He had his first break in the Nigerian media in Concord Newspapers in 1990 and today, he has over two and half decades experience earned in several newspapers.

He has been part of many start-ups, such as The Republic (1987), The Comet (1999), The Anchor 2001 – 2002; Sun Newspapers (2003); Westerner newsmagazine (2005 – 2010) as Editor; National Life (2011) as Sunday Editor, and Newswatch Newspapers (2012- 2016) as Daily Editor.

Dele Fashomi is now the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of Newstide247.com newspaper online, which he started in July 2015. He is also into biography writing, with many books in his trail, some of which he wrote alone and one he co- authored with his mentor, Mr Dare Babarinsa, entitled:  Olabiyi Durojaiye – DARE TO BE DiFFERENT. He also guided and collaborated with Pa Olatunji Odusanya in writing his autobiography – AGAINST ALL ODDS. There are many other books in the works under his pen.

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