Katsina Boosts MSMEs With Industrial Hubs, Market Linkages, UNDP Partnership

Katsina State government has intensified efforts to strengthen Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) through initiatives designed to improve access to markets, finance, and modern facilities.

In an interview with LEADERSHIP yesterday in Abuja, pioneer director-general of the Katsina State Enterprise Development Agency (KASEDA), Hajiya Aisha Aminu, said the state, in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), has keyed into the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) to expand opportunities for local businesses beyond Nigeria.

According to her, the state recently conducted an MSME census to map out business clusters across Katsina, a move expected to help entrepreneurs leverage market linkages not only within the state but also across the Northwest, Northern Nigeria, and the wider African region.

“Beyond giving entrepreneurs access to finance, we also build their capacities because many go into business without much technical knowledge. We train them in bookkeeping, financial literacy, discipline, and e-commerce to strengthen their operations,” she explained.

To further support small businesses, the state established the Industrial Development Centre in Tudun Matawali, Katsina, as a shared facility where entrepreneurs can access high-end machinery at subsidized rates. Two additional centres are underway in Daura and Funtua zones to ensure each senatorial district benefits from the scheme.

“For instance, some printing machines in the industrial development center cost as much as N80 million. By providing such equipment at the centres, entrepreneurs only pay a token to use them, thereby reducing costs and enhancing production,” Aminu said.

The centres also house agribusiness units where processed foods are packaged for local and international markets. Products such as ready-mix bean powder for akara are already being exported to Europe and the United States.