By our Correspondent
Katsina State has taken a significant step toward becoming a technology and innovation hub with the inauguration of the Katsina State Council for Digital Innovation and Entrepreneurship, making it the first state in Nigeria to fully operationalise a Startup Law.
In a statement by the Press Secretary to the Governor, Ibrahim Kaula Mohammed, Katsina state Governor, Dikko Umaru Radda unveiled the initiative alongside the establishment of the Katsina Startup Fund and the Startup Consultative Forum, creating a comprehensive framework to support young innovators, attract investment, and accelerate the growth of technology-driven enterprises across the state.
Represented by his Chief of Staff, Alhaji Abdulkadir Nasir Mamman, Governor Radda described the inauguration as the beginning of the practical implementation of the state’s vision for a knowledge-based economy.
I convey the warm regards of Malam Dikko Umaru Radda, whose vision for a technology-driven and knowledge-based economy has made today’s gathering possible, Nasir said.
According him, the establishment of the Council is another demonstration of Radda’s administration’s belief that innovation is no longer on the margins of development; it is central to it,” he stated.
He emphasized that the Katsina Startup Law provides the legal foundation for fostering entrepreneurship and innovation, noting that the Council’s mandate extends beyond routine administration.
“We should therefore see this Council for what it is: not another committee, and certainly not an implementing agency. We are the State’s highest strategic body on digital innovation and entrepreneurship. Our responsibility is to provide direction, shape policy, remove barriers, build partnerships, and ensure that innovation becomes a driver of economic growth across our state,” he said.
Governor Radda described the Startup Law as an economic development instrument aimed at creating jobs, attracting investments, and enabling entrepreneurs to transform ideas into sustainable businesses.
According to him, the initiative is expected to have far-reaching impacts across key sectors, including agriculture, healthcare, education, manufacturing, and other critical areas of the state’s economy.
“The real measure of our success will not be the number of meetings we hold or resolutions we pass. It will be whether more young people find meaningful opportunities; whether more startups survive and grow; whether more investors choose Katsina; whether our universities become centres of innovation; and whether technology begins to solve everyday challenges for our citizens,” he added.
Speaking at the event, Naufal Ahmad, Director-General of the Katsina State Directorate of Information and Communication Technology (KATDICT), said the state had laid a solid foundation for a thriving innovation ecosystem.
“We now have a system where founders can build, investors can come in with confidence, and young people can turn ideas into businesses that create jobs and wealth,” Ahmad said.
He noted that the Startup Law is designed to improve access to support mechanisms, strengthen public-private collaboration, and attract investments into technology-enabled enterprises.
“With this step, Governor Radda has set a national example of how to turn policy into institutions that deliver inclusive growth,” he said.
The newly inaugurated Katsina State Council for Digital Innovation and Entrepreneurship will be chaired by Governor Radda, while Naufal Ahmad will serve as Secretary. Its membership includes senior government officials, economic advisers, academics, and representatives of the state’s technology ecosystem.
Observers say the move positions Katsina at the forefront of Nigeria’s digital transformation agenda and could serve as a model for other states seeking to leverage innovation as a catalyst for economic development. (GSF)