[1] Levelling up in the UK is generally about spreading prosperity to all parts of the country. We desperately need this kind of policy in Nigeria, especially in certain states in the northeast and northwest where the absence of any form of commerce has boosted the Almajiri phenomenon, kidnapping and terrorism
[2] I would create a Nigerian Border Guard and seek to recruit 2m of these youths into it. Their first task would be to plant trees across Nigeria’s northern border all the way from Kebbi to Adamawa states. These trees, which shall be painted in Nigeria’s colour will mark our territorial borders
[3] Throughout the year, this Border Guard will repaint these trees and will patrol these borders. It will be their job to monitor movement in and out of the country along Nigeria’s northern border. Our youths will forever be busy
[4] According to the National Council for the Welfare of the Destitute, there are 7m Almajiris in northern Nigeria. I would seek to soak up a further 3m with an unprecedented public works programme. I would employ them to build a Sokoto to Maiduguri high-speed railway line. This project will create at least another 2m ancillary jobs
[5] I would also designate Taraba State as a wildlife protection zone with about half of its territory ring-fenced. It will serve as an animal sanctuary and will be protected by an army of Nigerian Wildlife Rangers. I will recruit 500,000 of such rangers with a mandate to ensure there is zero poaching in Nigeria. They will tag every animal in this reserve
[6] Every local government area in northern Nigeria will have a technical vocation college where youths are trained in a variety of skills from plumbing, to bricklaying to carpentry, etc. The idea will be that nobody is left without a skill that can earn them a living
[7] I would open up youth camps for orphans and urchins who have no parents or guardians. It is clear that at the moment, such youths are falling into the hands of Boko Haram, Miyetti Allah and kidnappers. There will be technical colleges on all these their youth camps so these youths are trained
[8] I would establish six massive cattle ranches in Niger, Borno, Taraba, Kaduna, Bauchi and Yobe states. They would have on site veterinary clinics, leather processing plants, meat abattoirs, animal feed compounding plants and meat packaging factories. I would look to employ about 2m youths in this industry as part of a plan to make Nigeria a major leather goods producer and exporter
[9] I would cost this programme and if it costs say $20bn, I would ask the northern elite to come up with a quarter of the costs, the 19 northern state governments with another quarter, the federal government will come up with a quarter of the funding too, while the rest of any financing will be sought from private investors
[10] To get the project going though, I would approach the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Conference for seed money. I believe the Arab world owes Nigeria big time as they brought their faith to us but have not brought along their other perks. Also, Nigeria is one of the biggest cash cows for the Saudi Arabian tourist industry given the number of pilgrims we send there every year. I believe it is payback time.
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