…..Urges entrepreneurs to embrace value addition, packaging, branding and market access
* 20,000 KASEDA Beneficiaries Form MSME Coalition, Endorse Tinubu, Radda, Donate ₦1 Million in Support
Katsina State Governor, Malam Dikko Umaru Radda, has stepped up support for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), describing the sector as a major driver of job creation, wealth creation and economic growth.
A statement signed by Ibrahim kaula Mohammad chief press secretary to the Governor said Governor Radda stated this yesterday when he received the MSME Coalition for Dikko Radda 2027, led by the Director-General of the Katsina State Enterprise Development Agency (KASEDA), Dr. Babangida Kabir Ruma, at Government House, Katsina.
He said KASEDA was established to provide entrepreneurs, artisans, women and young people with access to finance, business development services, mentoring and technical support.
Radda said his experience as a former Director-General of the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) strengthened his understanding of the challenges facing small businesses and informed his administration’s approach to supporting entrepreneurs.
“Many people do not realise that they are part of the MSME sector. Any business activity that generates income and profit contributes to this economic ecosystem,” he said.
The Governor said government interventions include grants, interest-free loans and other enterprise support programmes aimed at helping businesses start, survive and expand.
He stressed that beneficiaries of revolving funds must repay as agreed to enable other entrepreneurs to access the same opportunities.
“Our intention is not simply to give money to people. We want to build a sustainable system where one beneficiary can repay and another entrepreneur can benefit,” Radda said.
He urged beneficiaries to use government funds strictly for their intended purposes and maintain proper business records to remain eligible for future support.
Radda also identified poor processing, packaging, branding and limited market access as major challenges affecting locally produced goods.
He said entrepreneurs must move beyond selling raw products and focus on value addition to increase profitability and competitiveness.
“The difference is often not in the raw material. It is in value addition, processing, packaging, branding and access to better markets,” he said.
The Governor directed KASEDA to strengthen its Business Development Services, mentoring and technical assistance to help entrepreneurs improve their products and access wider markets.
He assured that the government would continue to strengthen KASEDA and ensure that MSME interventions are implemented transparently and in line with established guidelines.
Earlier, the KASEDA Director-General, Dr. Babangida Kabir Ruma, disclosed that beneficiaries of various government interventions had formed the MSME Coalition for Dikko Radda 2027.
He said the coalition has about 20,000 members, comprising beneficiaries who received financial assistance ranging from ₦50,000 to ₦5 million, depending on the nature and scale of their businesses.
Ruma said the group had expressed support for Governor Radda and planned to establish a call centre and situation room as part of its activities.
He added that a registration platform had also been created for interested members to join the coalition.
The KASEDA DG commended Governor Radda for sustaining support programmes for entrepreneurs and pledged the agency’s continued commitment to expanding access to finance, skills, business development services and other enterprise opportunities.
The event was attended by the Principal Private Secretary to the Governor, Hon. Abdullahi Aliyu Turaji; former Director-General of SMEDAN, Oluwale Fasanya; members of the Katsina State Executive Council; and other senior government officials.
