Radda Inaugurates Startup Council, Sets N250m Annual Grant for Young Entrepreneurs
….Katsina First State in Nigeria to Domesticate Startup Law
Katsina State Governor, Malam Dikko Umaru Radda, has inaugurated the Katsina State Council for Digital Innovation and Entrepreneurship, making the state the first sub-national government in Nigeria to fully domesticate and institutionalize the Startup Law.
Governor Radda announced during the inauguration ceremony at Government House on Thursday that the state has established a Startup Grants and Investment Fund with a guaranteed minimum of N250 million annually to help innovative businesses grow, scale, and compete globally.
The governor described the occasion as an important milestone in the state’s journey toward a modern and inclusive digital economy.
“The Katsina Startup Law is not just another policy document; it is an engine for growth. It provides a solid framework to create an enabling environment, streamline regulations, promote research and development, support incubation and acceleration, and connect startups with investment and markets,” Governor Radda stated.
He explained that the creation of the council aligns with his administration’s broader vision to modernize governance, diversify the economy, generate jobs, and promote shared prosperity across all local government areas.
The governor noted that this vision has already produced key institutions such as the Katsina State Directorate of Information and Communication Technology (KATDICT) and the Katsina Development and Management Board (KDMB), both playing vital roles in advancing the state’s technology and innovation agenda.
Governor Radda disclosed that Nigeria’s ICT sector currently contributes about 18 per cent to national GDP, emphasizing the increasing importance of technology in shaping the future of work and industry.
“Katsina must not stand behind; we must lead. We are sending a clear message that this state is ready to build a strong innovation economy capable of nurturing globally competitive startups and creating meaningful jobs for our youth,” he declared.
The Director General of Katsina Directorate of Information and Communications Technology, Naufal Ahmad, revealed that the Startup Bill establishes a complete end-to-end innovation support system including incubators, accelerators, venture-building programmes, and a Credit Guarantee Scheme enabling startups to access capital using intellectual property, shares, and chattel assets as collateral.
Ahmad noted that Governor Radda demonstrated visionary commitment to digital innovation even before the passage of the bill by conceiving and funding the first state-backed startup incubation programme in partnership with Katsina’s first technology hub.
“At the Arewa Tech Festival, startups from Katsina took home every prize, and many went on to win at national and international stages. That success was not luck—it was deliberate leadership,” the KATDICT boss said.
Ahmad disclosed that the state will launch a Startup Support and Engagement Portal—a one-stop platform for registration, incentives, market access, procurement, and investment opportunities—alongside a Startup Consultative Forum to ensure ecosystem participation in decision-making.
He explained that the state will establish innovation clusters, hubs, and enterprise centres across local governments, technology parks, talent development centres, and Technology Development Zones to attract investment and exports, ensuring innovation is distributed statewide.
The KATDICT DG also disclosed that the council brings together government, academia, and industry in a triple-helix model of innovation ensuring synergy and shared responsibility.
Earlier, Governor Radda announced that he will personally chair the council, which includes his Economic Adviser, the Director-General of KASEDA, the Executive Secretary of KTDMB, the Commissioners for Budget and Economic Planning, Finance, and Justice, as well as two representatives from academia, two from the ICT ecosystem, and three from the Startup Consultative Forum, including two women.
“I have chosen to chair this council myself to ensure our goals are achieved with urgency and precision. Together, we will build an economy where young people turn ideas into enterprises, where businesses grow with confidence, and where technology becomes a true tool for prosperity, peace, and progress,” the governor promised.
Ahmad assured that KATDICT, as secretariat, is committed to coordinating programmes, managing the startup portal, supporting capacity building, and ensuring every founder has a pathway to success.
