Katsina State Governor, Dr Dikko Radda, has rolled out financial grants for over 62,000 nano, micro and small businesses, alongside 2,000 purpose-built business kiosks and customised signages across the state.

According to a statement by the spokesperson to the governor, Ibrahim Mohammed, the initiative was implemented through the Katsina State Enterprise Development Agency (KASEDA), and is aimed at boosting entrepreneurship, improving business visibility and expanding economic opportunities across the state’s 34 local government areas.

The statement said the grants form part of the administration’s Building Your Future Agenda and is designed to strengthen grassroots enterprises through direct financial support, improved business infrastructure, enhanced commercial visibility and sustainable livelihood opportunities.

“Speaking at the flag-off ceremony held at Bello Kofar Bai Hall, Katsina State Secretariat, Governor Radda described the programme as a strategic investment in grassroots economic development, stressing that small businesses remain essential to job creation, wealth generation and the state’s economic growth.”

He quoted the governor saying, “Our entrepreneurs are not merely participants in our economy; they are its engine room. When we strengthen them, we strengthen the very foundation of Katsina State.”

He said under the programme, nano enterprises will receive grants of ₦50,000 each, micro enterprises ₦100,000 each, while small enterprises will receive ₦150,000 each to strengthen working capital, improve productivity and support business expansion.

He added that the governor also announced the provision of 2,000 purpose-built kiosks for vulcanisers to improve their working conditions, business security and productivity.

The governor noted that local fabricators were producing the kiosks, creating additional economic opportunities for indigenous artisans.

“We are not merely distributing grants; we are investing in productive capacity. We are not merely providing kiosks; we are strengthening the infrastructure of grassroots commerce. And we are not merely installing signages; we are opening doors to customers and economic opportunities,” the governor said.

Radda explained that the initiative followed an extensive mapping exercise of businesses along major road corridors across the state, which identified gaps in financing, business infrastructure and commercial visibility. The findings informed the programme’s three-pronged approach of financial grants, purpose-built kiosks and customised business signages.

He said the signages would improve the visibility and identity of participating enterprises, making it easier for customers to locate businesses and access their products and services.

The governor further disclosed that his administration had developed an integrated digital enterprise database and management platform to support beneficiary verification, evidence-based planning, programme monitoring and accountability.

According to him, the platform would provide reliable information on business locations, operating conditions and enterprise needs, enabling the government to design targeted interventions for women-owned businesses, youth entrepreneurs and underserved communities.

“This is not just a database. It is an economic intelligence platform, a strategic planning instrument and a decision-support system that will strengthen enterprise development in Katsina State for years to come,” Radda said.

He added that the platform would complement the grants, kiosks and branding initiative by helping the government assess programme outcomes, minimise duplication and guide future investments, while ensuring appropriate data protection and responsible information sharing.

Radda disclosed that his administration had disbursed more than ₦3.5 billion in non-interest financing to over 6,000 small and medium-sized enterprises, with repayments already commencing.

He added that 5,373 jobs had been facilitated and more than 10,000 businesses formalised in 2025 alone, highlighting the administration’s efforts to strengthen entrepreneurship, improve business sustainability and expand economic opportunities.

The governor also cited national recognition for the state’s SME development and digital innovation efforts, noting that Kosai Republic, a beneficiary of KASEDA’s support, won ₦7.5 million at the 2026 National MSMEs Awards.

“These achievements affirm that when government creates the right environment, local enterprises can become national champions and global competitors, creating jobs, generating wealth and positioning Katsina State as a hub of entrepreneurship and innovation,” he said.

Addressing the beneficiaries, the governor urged them to invest their grants productively, maintain proper business records, improve the quality of their products and services, and use the support to expand their businesses and create jobs.

He assured citizens that the administration would uphold fairness, transparency and accountability in beneficiary selection and programme implementation.

“Our vision is an economy in which government creates the conditions for citizens to become economically independent, productive and prosperous. Your business matters, your ambition matters, your prosperity matters, and your government believes in your potential,” the governor said.

Earlier, the Director-General of KASEDA, Dr Babangida Ruma, described the initiative as a major step towards strengthening grassroots entrepreneurship and promoting inclusive economic development.

Ruma said the programme was developed following an extensive enterprise mapping exercise conducted across all 34 local government areas on the directive of Governor Radda to identify businesses, assess their operating conditions and determine their actual needs.

He explained that the findings informed the programme’s three-pronged approach of direct financial grants, business kiosks and customised signages.

Ruma said the agency had undertaken data cleaning, deduplication, eligibility assessment and validation to improve the reliability of enterprise records and promote transparent implementation.

He described the integrated digital enterprise database as an important institutional asset that would support beneficiary targeting, programme monitoring, enterprise analysis and future policy decisions.

“The grants will strengthen businesses. The kiosks will improve their commercial infrastructure. The signages will make them more visible. But this digital platform will provide the intelligence to design better programmes, target support more effectively and monitor enterprise growth for years to come,” Ruma said.

Ruma assured that the agency would maintain professionalism, transparency and accountability in implementing the programme, urging beneficiaries to invest their grants productively, maintain their kiosks and build sustainable enterprises capable of creating jobs and expanding economic opportunities.