The National Economic Council (NEC), at its 152nd meeting in Abuja, again avoided discussions on the contentious issue of State Police, despite mounting calls for its adoption to curb insecurity nationwide.
Instead, the council, chaired by Vice President, Kashim Shettima, endorsed the rollout of solar-powered irrigation pumps developed by the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure, NASENI, as part of efforts to strengthen food security ahead of the 2025 dry season.
Although President Bola Tinubu had earlier thrown his weight behind the creation of State Police, a move that drew applause from various quarters and received the backing of at least 34 governors, the matter was neither debated nor listed for deliberation at Thursday’s NEC session.
A source at the meeting told Vanguard that despite expectations, it was not even on the agenda.
Council Endorses NASENI Pumps
The council gave approval for the national deployment of the NASENI solar irrigation pumps, designed to replace petrol-powered models, reduce farmers’ costs, expand dry-season cultivation, and provide additional household power.
Vice President Shettima said the development showcased the ingenuity of Nigerians and would support the administration’s food security drive.
“We must also face the challenge of innovation in agriculture. NASENI’s scaled-up solar irrigation pumps are ready for national rollout ahead of the 2025 dry season. These pumps replace expensive petrol-powered systems, lower farmers’ costs, expand dry-season cultivation, and even provide backup power for households.
“Their advanced features, including GPS tracking, mobile app dashboards, usage monitoring, and pay-as-you-go integration, prove that Nigerian ingenuity can compete with the world,” Shettima said.
The council also mandated the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Atiku Bagudu, to work out modalities for funding NASENI to enable mass production and timely distribution of the pumps.
The Vice President hinted at other ongoing efforts to strengthen the agricultural sector.
He said, “250,000 farmers have been insured across eight states, the 30 percent Value Addition Bill is advancing, and the N250 billion Bank of Agriculture facility is being activated to reach smallholders.”
Briefing State House correspondents, Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, gave updates on balances in national accounts as of September 17, 2025.
According to him, the Excess Crude Account stood at $535,823.39, the Stabilization Account was ₦83,495,784,133.24, while the Natural Resources Account stood at ₦125,818,396,257.41.
The Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Bagudu, also disclosed that the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group, NESG, briefed the council on preparations for the forthcoming 31st Nigerian Economic Summit.
Babagana Speaks On Security And Flood Preparedness
Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, said the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, briefed the council on the Anticipatory Action Framework for Riverine Flooding in Nigeria.
According to him, the framework provides a proactive strategy to mitigate the humanitarian and economic impact of flooding through early warning systems, targeted preparedness, and coordinated response.
NEC further recommended that state governments should improve risk communication to vulnerable communities through local channels such as radio, town hall meetings, and state broadcasters.
It also urged governors to strengthen their State Emergency Management Agencies (SEMAs) with funding, equipment, and training for effective disaster response.
The post Insecurity: Again NEC Fails To Deliberate On State Police appeared first on Naija News.
