The Federal Government has thrown its weight behind Taraba State’s newly unveiled Regional Development Master Plan, promising stronger collaboration to turn the state’s abundant agricultural, energy, tourism and mineral resources into jobs, businesses and lasting prosperity.
Speaking Thursday in Jalingo during celebrations marking Taraba’s 35th anniversary, Minister of Information and National Orientation Mohammed Idris said the plan offered the state more than a ceremonial vision—it provided a clear pathway for its next chapter of development.
He praised Governor Agbu Kefas for adopting a long-term framework, but warned that its true success would be determined not by its unveiling, but by its impact on ordinary citizens.
“The success of this Master Plan will not be measured by the ceremony at which it is unveiled, but by the roads built, businesses created, jobs generated, communities connected and lives improved,” Idris said.
The minister described Taraba as one of Nigeria’s most promising economic frontiers, pointing to its potential in agriculture, agro-processing, livestock, hydropower, tourism, manufacturing and mineral development.
Already, the state has secured approximately $268 million in financing agreements with the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development.
The funds will support an integrated industrial park, 10,000 hectares of irrigated rice production and processing, and a 50-megawatt solar power plant in Jalingo.
Idris also highlighted the state government’s investments in education, healthcare, infrastructure, security and economic development, including more than ₦1.8 billion allocated in 2026 to cover examination fees for public-school students sitting the NECO, BECE and NABTEB examinations.
The Federal Government, he said, was complementing these efforts through major road projects, including the Gembu –Mbamnga–Yang Road, the Bali–Serti –Gashaka–Gembu Road, and interventions along the Jalingo–Mutum Biyu–Tella–Wukari corridor.
Additional work is also planned on the Mayo Selbe–Gembu, Mutum Biyu–Garba Chede and Jalingo–Numan roads.
“These are more than roads. They are investments in connectivity, trade, tourism, agriculture, security and the movement of people and goods,” the minister said.
He reaffirmed federal support for the development of Taraba’s agricultural, energy and mineral assets, including the long-awaited Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Project.
He also linked security directly to economic growth, noting that farmers, traders, tourists and investors could not thrive where communities felt unsafe.
Idris said reforms at the federal level had created additional fiscal space for development, with the removal of the petrol subsidy generating ₦15.8 trillion for the Federation between June 2023 and December 2025.
Of that amount, approximately ₦10.4 trillion accrued to states and local governments, while ₦5.4 trillion went to the Federal Government.
Governor Kefas, in his remarks, called for continuity and cumulative development, urging former leaders to contribute their experience to the state’s future.
He stressed that Taraba’s progress must rise above governments, political parties, ethnic groups and individuals.
“Government must be a continuum. Development must be cumulative. Taraba is bigger than any government, any administration, any political party, any ethnic group, or any individual,” Kefas said.
As Taraba marks 35 years of statehood, the message from Jalingo is clear: the next phase will be judged not by promises made, but by opportunities created, communities connected and lives transformed. The Master Plan is now on paper. Its real test begins with implementation.