Mohammed Umaru Bago (born 22 February 1974) in Minna, Nigeria State, is a Nigerian banker and politician who is the current governor of Niger State since 29 May 2023. He was previously a member of the House of Representative representing Chanchaga Federal Constituency.
He had his primary education at Marafa Primary School, Minna and secondary education at Federal Government College, Jos. He proceeded to further his education at the US man Danfodio University, Solkoto where he earned a bachelor’s degree in political science. He has obtained several postgraduate diplomas and master’s degrees, including a postgraduate diploma in management from the Federal University of Technology Minna in 2001, a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in economics at the Ambrose Ali University, Ekpoma, in 2003, and a master’s degree in finance at University of Calabar in 2005. He is also a distinguished alumnus from Cambridge University in the United Kingdom in 2014.
A great philanthropist of repute, Hon Bago, through his Bago Foundation established in 2010 has been able to impact on and improve the lives of his people. The mission of the foundation which is to help the needy and less privileged has so far been progressive.
His Excellency Bago, through his Foundation, has been able to provide medical support to less privileged such as the resettlement and provision of free medical aids and services to lepers in Minna, provision of wheelchairs in support of the physically challenged. Provision and awards of scholarship to the youths in his constituency and his state as a whole.
Also, in his determination to improve access to education for his constituents given his love for education, he purchased a thousand of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) forms for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) for students.
During the Covid-19 pandemic period, he distributed 11 trailer loads of rice to his constituents as palliative for his people to curb the lack of sufficient food at that time. He has facilitated and commissioned several road projects in his Chachanga constituency.
All these and more have earned him the name “Mr Empowerment”, as he is now popularly known in his state.
He has also kick-started an agricultural revolution in his state encapsulated in the policy titled ‘Food Security and Agricultural Programme of Niger State’.
This policy is set to provide the inputs, fertilizers, and chemicals for farmers and also educate them on the proper use etc.
It is to provide the start-off cost for anybody interested in farming to encourage agriculture and discourage the importation of food which runs into trillions of naira.
About 300 tractors have already been purchased and have arrived the state, while 700 more tractors are being expected. Together with over 1,000 handheld tillers that have been received, it is expected that the provision of prepared land and some mechanization equipment, will significantly boost agricultural yield in the state.
Hon. Mohammed Bago has indeed touched so many lives in various facets of human development in such a sustainable manner. Posterity shall undoubtedly be kind to him.
He has received a plethora of awards such as;
- Award of Excellence as the most Courageous Representative; Champion of Good Governance by Nigeria Vanguard for Equity, 2021;
- Performing Rep. Member of the Year Award at Democracy Heroes Award (Seventh Edition) 16th October, 2019;
- Riyahdul Qur’an Islamic Foundation’s Award of Excellence by Suleja Emirate;
- Award for promoting good leadership and governance in Nigeria by APC Youth Vanguard;
- Social Inclusiveness Award and commitment to Societal development by Youth Wing, NASFAT, Niger State Chapter, and many more…
Rt. Hon. Mohammed Umaru Bago is happily married with three children.
The Board and Organizing Committee of Humanitarian Service Diamond Awards hereby present His Excellency, Mohammed Umaru Bago for HSD Awards on Agriculture and Food Security.
