Katsina State Ministry of Information is set to initiate a new law that will empower it to generate more revenue for the state government.
The development followed deliberations at the 2026 pre-budget defence meeting chaired by the commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Hon. Malik Anas. During the meeting, he urged the Ministry of Information to explore legal avenues to strengthen its revenue base.
The commissioner for Information, Bala Zango, explained that the ministry currently lacks the legal framework to collect revenue from media organisations in the state.
He said the existing regulatory agencies are the only bodies authorised to collect such revenues, which limits the ministry’s financial contributions despite its extensive service responsibilities.
“In the present arrangement, we have no enabling law that allows us to collect or share in revenue generated from media organizations. Unless a new law is enacted, we cannot do so legally. But we are ready to make the necessary proposal if given the approval”, the commissioner said
In response, the chairman Anas commended the ministry’s commitment but emphasized the need for proactive steps to boost internally generated revenue.
The committee urged the ministry to draft a proposal for consideration by the governor and the Ministry of Justice to enable legislative backing for the initiative, challenging the ministry to improve its public address system services, which have suffered dwindling patronage due to competition from private vendors.
“If you are going to provide such services, make them attractive so people will patronize you,” a member advised.
Another member suggested that the ministry could also take on government media consultancy services often outsourced to private firms outside the state. “This will save costs for the government and help the ministry earn more revenue,” he noted.
The commissioner, Dr. Zango welcomed the recommendations, describing them as “valid observations,” and assured that the ministry would take necessary action to revitalize its revenue streams and pursue legislative empowerment.
The meeting concluded with a resolution mandating the Ministry of Information to collaborate with the Governor’s Office and the Ministry of Justice in drafting the proposed bill, which, when passed, will enable the ministry to collect and manage specific categories of media-related revenue for the state.
