Kebbi State Governor Nasir Idris has urged Nigerians to keep hope alive, preserve national unity and continue praying for leaders at all levels as Nigeria marks its 66th Independence anniversary.

Nasir Idris made the appeal in an Independence Day message to Nigerians and residents of Kebbi State on Thursday, describing the anniversary as an opportunity for national pride, sober reflection and renewed confidence in the country’s future.

Also read: Nigeria at 66: NLC demands new minimum wage, cheaper petrol

“Independence Anniversary is a moment of pride, reflection and renewed hope for our great nation,” Nasir Idris said.

The governor urged citizens to remember the sacrifices of Nigeria’s founding generation while drawing inspiration from the resilience of Nigerians who continue to contribute to peace, productivity and national development.

His message combined the traditional Independence Day appeal for unity with a review of his administration’s record in Kebbi, where he highlighted measures relating to workers’ welfare, education, healthcare, infrastructure and livelihoods.

Nasir Idris said Kebbi currently pays a minimum wage of ₦75,000 and that salaries and pensions had been paid regularly under his administration.

He also said the state had cleared more than ₦10 billion in gratuities, death benefits and other outstanding entitlements.

According to the governor, ₦2.11 billion was recently released to settle payments involving 772 retirees and bereaved families.

The figures, if sustained, represent a significant focus on clearing obligations to workers and families who had been waiting for outstanding payments. The claims, however, are those of the Kebbi State Government.

Education featured prominently in the governor’s account of the state’s development efforts.

Nasir Idris said more than 2,000 schools had been constructed, renovated and furnished across Kebbi, while 2,000 professional teachers had been recruited.

He also said his administration had ended casualisation in the teaching profession, a measure he presented as part of efforts to improve the status and stability of the state’s education workforce.

Healthcare was another major area highlighted in the Independence Day message.

The governor said 22 general hospitals, 179 primary healthcare centres and 63 dispensaries had been revitalised, while more than 2,200 health workers had been recruited.

For communities where access to healthcare remains closely tied to distance and transport costs, investment in primary healthcare facilities can have a direct bearing on how quickly residents receive basic medical attention.

Nasir Idris also pointed to an extensive infrastructure programme.

He said the state was undertaking the dualisation of 88 roads, constructing a new State Secretariat and developing what he described as an ultra-modern Central Motor Park.

More than 300 kilometres of rural roads were also being constructed, according to the governor, with the aim of connecting farming communities to markets.

The state government has additionally deployed more than 800 mass transit buses, which Nasir Idris said were intended to improve transportation and ease mobility for residents.

Agriculture and rural livelihoods remain particularly important to Kebbi because of the state’s large farming communities.

Nasir Idris said Kebbi had secured $45 billion in African Development Bank financing for a Special Agro-Processing Zone in Argungu, with transformation centres planned for Kalgo and Zuru.

The scale of the stated financing figure is substantial, and the governor’s reference was to the financing secured for the agro-processing initiative rather than a claim that the entire amount had already been spent.

The governor also highlighted the Kaura Cares Livelihood Programme, saying ₦100,000 had been distributed to each of 65,000 citizens.

He said 3,200 people with disabilities had received support, while women and young entrepreneurs had also been assisted through empowerment initiatives.

Housing and gender inclusion featured in the governor’s account of social policy.

Nasir Idris said 500 affordable houses had been distributed to workers and that five women had been appointed as permanent secretaries.

He presented the appointments as part of the administration’s efforts to improve workers’ welfare and expand women’s participation in senior public service positions.

Security remains another significant concern for Kebbi and the wider North-West region.

Nasir Idris said his administration had invested more than ₦30 billion in security, while ₦15 billion had been allocated to water supply and rural electrification projects.

The emphasis on security reflects the broader challenges facing communities across parts of northern Nigeria, where insecurity has affected farming, movement, trade and access to public services.

The governor also pointed to investment interest as a potential source of future employment and economic growth.

He said the maiden Kebbi Investors Forum generated investment commitments worth $4.1 billion across mining, renewable energy, agriculture, manufacturing and logistics.

Nasir Idris said his administration would now focus on translating those commitments into actual projects, jobs and improved livelihoods.

That distinction is important because investment commitments do not necessarily represent completed investments or immediate employment.

Their economic impact will depend on whether the proposed projects progress from announcements to implementation.

For Nigeria more broadly, the governor’s message comes at a moment when the country’s 66th Independence anniversary is being marked against a difficult economic backdrop.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in his own Independence Day address, said Nigeria had moved beyond the most difficult phase of his administration’s economic reforms and was entering what he described as an “age of prosperity”.

Tinubu said the government’s next priority would be shared prosperity, lower production and transport costs, job creation and improved living standards.

The Nigeria Labour Congress has offered a different emphasis, demanding a new minimum wage, a nationwide wage award and lower petrol prices, arguing that high living costs have eroded workers’ purchasing power.

Against that national backdrop, Nasir Idris’s message focused on resilience and the need for citizens to remain committed to Nigeria despite the difficulties confronting households and communities.

The governor urged Nigerians to reject division and treat diversity as a national strength.

“As Nigeria marks 66 years of independence, let us reject division and embrace unity. Let our diversity remain our strength as we work together to build a secure, peaceful and prosperous Nigeria,” Nasir Idris said.

His appeal also carried a personal and civic dimension, asking Nigerians to continue praying for leaders at all levels while supporting legitimate development efforts.

The message from Kebbi therefore combined celebration with a sober recognition that development is measured not only by government projects but by whether citizens experience meaningful improvements in their daily lives.

For Kebbi, the governor has pointed to higher wages, cleared arrears, new schools, healthcare facilities, roads, transport, security spending and livelihood support as evidence of his administration’s priorities.

For residents, the longer-term test will be whether those investments translate into better services, stronger household incomes, greater economic opportunity and improved security.

As Nigeria enters its 67th year as an independent nation, Nasir Idris is asking citizens to hold on to hope while remaining united and patient.

Also read: Nigeria at 66: NLC demands new minimum wage, cheaper petrol

His Independence Day message ultimately placed that hope alongside a call for collective responsibility, arguing that Nigeria’s challenges can be overcome through perseverance, responsible leadership and sustained commitment to national development.