Kaduna reforms yielding gains in transparency, investment — Uba Sani

Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, has said his administration’s tough but necessary reforms are beginning to deliver tangible results in public finance management, governance and the state’s business environment.

Speaking through the Commissioner for Business Innovation and Technology, Mrs. Patience Fakai, at the opening of the 47th Kaduna International Trade Fair on Saturday, the governor said the reforms were aimed at stabilising the state’s finances, strengthening transparency and attracting investors.

He noted that Kaduna has ranked first on Nigeria’s Subnational Fiscal Transparency Index for two consecutive years, a development he said reflects the government’s commitment to accountability and prudent management of public resources.

According to him, this year’s trade fair theme, “From Reforms to Results: Economic Transformation through Sustainable Local Content Development,” aligns with the state’s policy direction.

Sani also recalled that the Kaduna State Fiscal Responsibility Commission recently organised a capacity-building workshop for public fund managers to promote transparent and accountable use of public funds.

“Investors go where governance is clear, rules are predictable, and public finance is credible,” he said, adding that higher fiscal transparency reduces risks and boosts investor confidence.

He explained that Kaduna’s strong performance in fiscal governance has helped lower the cost of doing business, enhance trade and position the state as an attractive destination for both domestic and foreign investment.

The governor added that the trade fair offers an opportunity to convert investor confidence into concrete partnerships, stressing that local content development remains central to the state’s industrialisation drive.

“Industrialisation must be rooted in local enterprise, local skills and strong local value chains,” he said, citing sectors such as agribusiness, solid minerals, manufacturing, ICT and services as key focus areas.

In a keynote address, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Nura Abba Rimi, said Nigeria’s trade policy has moved into the implementation phase, with emphasis on boosting local production and exports.

He said government success would be measured by increased factory output and exports, adding that the concept of local content has expanded beyond oil and gas to broader industrial growth.

By prioritising Nigerian-made goods and introducing digital platforms to track trade and simplify processes, Rimi said the government is improving market access for exporters while reducing bureaucratic bottlenecks.

He added that efforts are also ongoing to address infrastructure gaps and improve access to finance for locally sourcing businesses.

In his welcome address, President of the Kaduna Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (KADCCIMA), Alhaji Farouk Suleiman, said while reforms are necessary, production and enterprise remain the true drivers of prosperity.

“Only production creates prosperity. Only skills create jobs. Only enterprise creates wealth,” he said.

Suleiman disclosed that the chamber’s new leadership is pursuing institutional reforms to transform KADCCIMA into a policy advocate, business accelerator and skills development hub.

He said youth and women empowerment would remain a priority through vocational training, digital skills, agro-processing, entrepreneurship incubation and access to financing.

He also pledged collaboration with government and private partners to establish Skills Acquisition and Enterprise Development Centres to enable young people and women to create jobs rather than seek them.