Katsina State Governor, Malam Dikko Umaru Radda, on Friday joined Vice President Kashim Shettima on an assessment tour of the Glo-Djigbé Industrial Zone (GDIZ) near Cotonou, Republic of Benin, in support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s industrialisation agenda.
The delegation included Governors Hope Uzodimma (Imo), Dauda Lawal (Zamfara), Caleb Mutfwang (Plateau), AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq (Kwara), Umar Namadi (Jigawa) and Governor Dikko Umaru Radda (Katsina).
During the visit, the delegation inspected the zone’s integrated textile and agro-processing facilities, where locally produced cotton is processed into yarn, fabric and finished garments, while cashew and other agricultural commodities are transformed into value-added products for local and international markets.
The delegation was also briefed by Benin’s Minister of Tourism and Foreign Trade, Mr. Olushegun Adjadi Bakari, on the industrial zone’s production capacity, investment opportunities and public-private partnership model, which has created over 25,000 jobs since 2021.
Governor Radda said the visit offered valuable lessons for Katsina, particularly in expanding agro-industrial development, value addition and private sector investment.
“This visit strengthens our commitment to building a modern agro-industrial economy that creates jobs, adds value to our agricultural produce and attracts investment. The lessons from Benin will support our drive towards sustainable industrial development,” Governor Radda said.
A statement by Ibrahim Kaula Mohammed, Chief Press Secretary to Governor said the governor noted that Katsina, as one of Nigeria’s leading agricultural and cotton-producing states, is well positioned to benefit from similar industrial initiatives.
Vice President Kashim Shettima described the GDIZ as a practical model for revitalising Nigeria’s cotton, textile and garment industry.
He stressed that Nigeria must build stronger agro-industrial value chains and retain more value from processing its agricultural resources.
“While the global cotton industry is worth about $370 billion, Africa benefits from only about one per cent of that amount. Reviving Nigeria’s textile value chain can create millions of jobs, expand non-oil exports and stimulate economic growth,” the Vice President said.
He added that the visit reflects Nigeria’s determination to learn from successful industrial models that connect agriculture with manufacturing, attract private investment and create employment opportunities for young people.
The Vice President and members of the delegation also participated in a tree-planting exercise, reaffirming their commitment to environmentally sustainable industrial development.
