Zulum Woos Private Sector to Invest in Borno’s Recovery

By Ali Mohammed Zanna, Maiduguri

Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum, has called on investors, business leaders and private institutions to turn the state’s ongoing recovery from insurgency into sustainable economic opportunities through job creation, investment and support for vulnerable communities.

Zulum made the call on Thursday at the opening of a two-day Borno State Durable Solutions to Internal Displacement Private Sector Roundtable held at the Lagos Continental Hotel, Lagos.

The roundtable, themed “Mobilising Private Capital for Durable Solutions and Sustainable Development,” brought together government officials, corporate leaders, financial institutions, development partners, philanthropies and other stakeholders.

Represented by his Deputy Governor, Hon. Usman Kadafur, the governor urged the private sector to invest in resettled communities, partner with vocational institutions and support businesses capable of generating sustainable livelihoods.

He also called for concrete investment commitments backed by clear timelines and measurable outcomes.

“A camp cannot become a permanent address. And dependence cannot be the inheritance we pass from one generation to another,” Zulum said.

The governor said humanitarian organisations had played a critical role in saving lives during the insurgency, but stressed that lasting recovery required displaced families to regain economic independence and access essential services.

According to him, Borno’s 25-Year Development Framework seeks to transform the state into a secure and competitive agribusiness and commercial hub, with priority placed on human capital, agriculture, healthcare, environmental sustainability and regional trade.

Zulum said the government had learned from its resettlement efforts that relocating displaced persons from camps alone did not amount to ending displacement.

“We have learned that closing a camp is not the same thing as ending displacement,” he said.

He cited Monguno as an example, where the state government, in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme, Federal Government, Germany and other partners, provided 1,900 permanent homes and semi-permanent shelters, as well as 375 solar streetlights.

He added that about 4,000 beneficiaries received grants, technical and vocational training, start-up packages and agricultural inputs, with women accounting for 40 per cent of the beneficiaries.

The programme also included investments in water, energy, markets, essential services, security and social cohesion.

“Housing alone is not resettlement. Housing plus livelihoods, education, healthcare, security, infrastructure and economic opportunity is what turns a settlement into a community,” Zulum said.

On education, the governor said his administration had constructed 104 new schools and rehabilitated 2,931 classrooms and related facilities as of December 2025.

He added that school enrolment had risen above 1.8 million children, while the estimated number of out-of-school children had dropped below 800,000.

Zulum further disclosed that about 3,000 young people graduated from nine vocational enterprise institutes and centres across the state in 2026, receiving tools, starter packs and entrepreneurship support.

He urged companies to channel their corporate social responsibility investments towards projects capable of making communities self-reliant, including schools, vocational centres, primary healthcare facilities, water systems and support for women and youth entrepreneurs.

“I am therefore not asking you to choose between conscience and commerce. I am asking you to recognise that, in Borno, conscience and commerce can reinforce one another,” he said.

Zulum also challenged participants to ensure that the roundtable produced tangible commitments rather than ending with discussions and photographs.

“I therefore propose that this roundtable must not end with photographs and communiqués,” he said.

He urged investors to support displaced families to become homeowners, farmers, employees and entrepreneurs, while creating employment and business opportunities for young people vulnerable to recruitment by violent groups.

In separate remarks, the Acting Chief of Staff to the Governor, Dr Babagana Mustapha Malumbe, and Chief Adviser to the Governor on Sustainable Development, Partnership and Humanitarian Support, Dr Mairo Mandara, said the administration was ready to provide a strong partnership and level playing field for sustainable investments.

The roundtable attracted representatives of major business and financial institutions and development organisations, including Dangote Group, First Bank, UNDP, UNHCR, IOM and the German Corporation.

The Borno delegation also included commissioners responsible for Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Resettlement; Finance; Information and Internal Security; Works and Housing, as well as special advisers, permanent secretaries and the Executive Secretary of the Borno State Investment Promotion Agency (BOSIPA).