In a country where national attention often gravitates toward mega projects, oil licenses, and high-stakes summits, a quiet revolution is underway in Katsina State not in skyscrapers or stock markets, but in the open stalls of market women, the clatter of artisan workshops, the code-laced laptops of young techies, and the hands of those who wake up every day to build something from nothing.
This year’s International MSME Day in Katsina was more than ceremonial. It was personal, transformational a celebration of small businesses as the lifeblood of the local economy.
It was a moment that saw street vendors and rural artisans treated with the kind of dignity and recognition often reserved for top-tier investors.
At the heart of it stood Governor Dikko Umaru Radda, not as a distant administrator, but as a man on a mission, a leader who has consistently bet on the ordinary citizen as the key to unlocking extraordinary progress.
“Today, we are not just giving money; we are investing in the courage and creativity of our people,” Governor Radda said, standing before hundreds of young entrepreneurs, small-scale vendors, and dignitaries from across the state.
“These entrepreneurs are the backbone of our economy, and we are committed to helping them grow, thrive, and lead the way toward a more prosperous Katsina.”
That promise wasn’t rhetorical. In a practical gesture of support, 200 MSME vendors each received ₦50,000 in direct business support, amounting to ₦10 million in cash grants. But even this was framed not as charity, but as deliberate capital injection.
“This is not a handout; it is an investment one that we expect to see multiply through jobs created, businesses scaled, and lives improved,” Radda emphasised.
More than just funds, the event delivered structure and sustainability. Beneficiaries were enrolled in a two-day business development training focusing on innovation, customer service, and sustainability.
It was a message etched in every detail of the event: Katsina’s small businesses are not just being helped they are being empowered, equipped, and respected.
Governor Radda’s broader vision came into clearer focus as he announced a landmark initiative: the Dikko Rural Women and Youth Entrepreneurship Support Program, a ₦500 million scheme targeting 7,220 rural entrepreneurs across the state.
With startup capital, capacity building, and mentorship baked into the model, it aims to do nothing less than rewire the economic DNA of Katsina’s rural communities.
“This programme is not just about economic support. It is about dignity, equity, and inclusion. We are saying to our rural brothers and sisters: you matter, your ideas matter, and we will walk with you, every step of the way,” the governor said.
But perhaps the most ambitious leap came with the unveiling of the Katsina State Enterprise Development Agency (KASEDA) Digital Academy an online learning platform designed to bring digital skills, e-commerce tools, and business literacy into the hands of thousands.
“This academy is designed to future-proof our MSMEs. With it, our youth and women can learn and grow from their shops, their homes, even their farms,” Radda explained.
Developed in partnership with local and international institutions, the platform positions Katsina as a digital transformation pioneer in northern Nigeria a move some see as both bold and overdue.
In a region often underserved by tech investment, the Academy bridges a critical gap, opening access to training once available only to urban elites.
“We are building a digital Katsina. One where being from Jibia or Kafur does not limit your potential. The knowledge economy belongs to all of us and we are claiming our place in it,” Radda added.
The numbers are telling. Since Governor Radda assumed office, the KASEDA has supported over 8,000 MSMEs. More than ₦3.4 billion in development funds interest-free have been facilitated to give small businesses the oxygen they need to grow.
And yet, it’s the human stories behind these numbers that best illustrate the change. Tailors doubling their staff, agropreneurs exporting to neighbouring states, and young women turning backyard baking into formal enterprises.
At the MSME fair held during the celebration, the atmosphere was electric, with solar panels, POS machines, laptops, and business kits exchanged hands like medals of honour. Proud owners stood beside handmade shoes, woven baskets, and homegrown software tools, telling their stories not with desperation, but with hope.
In her remark, the KASEDA Director General, Aisha Aminu Malumfashi, represented by the Technical Assistant to the Governor on Enterprise Development, Babangida Kabir Ruma, underscored the agency’s achievements.
“We have supported thousands of SMEs through access to finance and enterprise programs. Katsina is no longer just responding to poverty we are building prosperity,” she said.
What makes this transformation particularly compelling is its foundation in policy, not politics. From Katsina’s first MSME census (which mapped over 600,000 businesses) to collaborations with banks, global agencies, and the diaspora community, every initiative seems tied into a long-term development blueprint. It is development with direction and discipline.
According to her, the state government unveiled a string of accomplishments and new initiatives aimed at deepening the impact of MSMEs on the local economy.
“Today is not just about celebration but also reflection,” She said. “In under two years, KASEDA has supported over 8,000 MSMEs and facilitated more than ₦3.4 billion in interest-free loans.”
Her detailed key milestones include the rehabilitation of the SMEDEN Industrial Development Centre into a functional hub, financial support of ₦542 million to victims of banditry, and the mapping of over 600,000 businesses across the state.
A major highlight was the announcement of the Dikko Rural Women and Youth Entrepreneurship Support Programme, a ₦500 million initiative designed to empower 7,220 rural women and youths with startup capital and business training.
“This is not just a support scheme. It is a revolving loan program with a projected 80% repayment rate and 70 per cent financial inclusion goal,” she added.
The programme aims to generate jobs, uplift household incomes, and stimulate rural economies through registered cooperatives.
Women and youth empowerment dominated the narrative, with mention of: “10,000 women scheduled for entrepreneurship training in partnership with Lagos-based Atlantic University; 300 youths trained under an apprenticeship scheme with the Nigerian Automobile Technicians Association; Over 1,000 young people receiving startup capital under the Build Your Future initiative.”
In another move to bolster economic resilience, she said the state also provided ₦50,000 each to 200 participating vendors at the fair, alongside a two-day capacity-building workshop.
While commenting on the new launch of KASEDA Digital Academy, Hajiya Malumfashi said that the platform is designed to close the digital divide by offering courses in online entrepreneurship, digital literacy, and business management.
The Academy, accessible via www.kaseda.ng, promises hybrid mentorship and certification in collaboration with international partners. It is a strategic effort to prepare Katsina’s small business owners for opportunities in the digital economy.
Delivering a goodwill message, the state Commissioner of Commerce, Industry, and Tourism, Hon. Yusuf Rabi’u, praised the governor’s consistent focus on MSME development.
“Under His Excellency’s leadership, our small businesses are not just surviving they’re thriving,” he said. “With targeted support to youth and women, Katsina is building a self-reliant and inclusive economy.”
Governor Radda’s closing message was both a call and a commitment. “Let’s build a Katsina where no one is too small to succeed, and every idea is given a chance to flourish.”
As the sun dipped behind the skyline of the Katsina capital, there was no mistaking what had happened. This wasn’t just a celebration of small businesses it was a statement. That in the age of billion-dollar blueprints, Katsina has chosen a different kind of revolution. One built by the small giants who stitch, bake, code, and create not only for survival, but for legacy.
In this corner of Nigeria, prosperity is no longer a promise. It’s in motion.
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