In a proactive move to support farmers impacted by years of insurgency, Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum, has unveiled a petrol subsidy initiative. The scheme aims to reduce the financial strain on irrigation farmers in areas recovering from Boko Haram attacks.

Announced during the distribution of agricultural inputs to over 5,000 farmers in Bama town, the subsidy will lower the price of petrol from the current market rates of ₦1,000–₦1,200 per litre in Maiduguri to just ₦600 per litre. This subsidy follows the success of a similar program in Mobar LGA, which led to increased food production and better livelihoods.

Governor Zulum emphasized that the high cost of fuel has been a significant barrier for irrigation farming, and this initiative is designed to ease that burden. Alongside the petrol subsidy, the governor distributed a wide range of agricultural tools and materials, including:

• 2,000 bags of NPK fertilizer
• 1,000 water pumps
• 620 gasoline pumps
• 380 solar water pumps
• 800 rolls of flexible hoses
• 1,000 sprayers
• 1,000 litres of pesticides

The state government has also constructed over 100 tube wells for irrigation farmers and approved the construction of an additional 250.

Governor Zulum expressed his appreciation for the federal government’s support in rebuilding and resettling communities affected by insurgency. He further pledged his administration’s commitment to ensuring sustainable resettlement efforts and vowed to prevent any disruptions to the state’s rehabilitation projects.

This initiative marks another step in Borno State’s journey toward agricultural resilience and food security.