Katsina State Governor Malam Dikko Umaru Radda has urged Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) to focus on value addition, quality packaging, branding, and improved market access to make their businesses more competitive.
Governor Radda spoke at the Government House, Katsina, while receiving the MSME Coalition for Dikko Radda 2027, led by the Director-General of the Katsina State Enterprise Development Agency (KASEDA), Dr. Babangida Kabir Ruma.
Governor Radda said MSMEs remained critical to job creation, wealth generation, and economic growth, adding that his administration would continue to expand access to finance, business development services, mentoring, and technical support through KASEDA.
He said government interventions, including grants and interest-free loans, were designed to help businesses start, survive, and expand. He urged beneficiaries of revolving funds to repay their loans as agreed to allow other entrepreneurs to benefit.
Governor Radda also advised beneficiaries to use funds for their intended purposes and keep proper business records.
According to him, many locally produced goods struggle to compete because of weak processing, packaging, branding, and limited access to wider markets.
Governor Radda therefore directed KASEDA to strengthen its business development and mentoring programs to help entrepreneurs improve their products and reach larger markets.
The state government recently launched the KASEDA Digital Market to connect Katsina businesses with customers within and outside Nigeria, further expanding opportunities for local entrepreneurs.
Earlier, Ruma said about 20,000 beneficiaries of various KASEDA interventions had formed the MSME Coalition for Dikko Radda 2027.
He said members had benefited from financial support ranging from ₦50,000 to ₦5 million, depending on the size and nature of their businesses.
Ruma added that the coalition had endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Radda for 2027 and planned to establish a call center and situation room.
He also disclosed that the coalition had created a registration platform for interested members.
KASEDA has continued to expand enterprise support in Katsina, with recent programs covering interest-free financing, entrepreneurship training, digital skills, mentorship, and market access.
