Governor Dikko Umaru Radda has announced that the 2025 Katsina Economic and Investment Summit concluded with private-sector commitments worth more than N489.4 billion, marking one of the largest single inflows of pledged investment in the state’s history.

The outcome, he said, reflects growing confidence in Katsina’s security improvements and economic reforms.

The two-day summit in Katsina city brought together domestic and international investors, CEOs, development partners, and policy experts who signed memoranda of understanding across agriculture, manufacturing, energy, and digital infrastructure. Radda described the pledges as a “resounding vote of confidence” in his administration’s two-year effort to make the northwestern state more business-friendly.

Security reforms were central to the governor’s message. He highlighted the deployment of 2,500 members of the Katsina Community Watch Corps, the creation of 9,747 citizen-led village and district security committees, and the reopening of local markets closed for more than six years. These measures, he said, have reduced incidents of banditry and encouraged rural economic activity.

On governance, the administration has introduced a Treasury Single Account system, a digital one-stop shop for business registration, the KATGIS land administration platform, a Directorate of ICT, a Special Project Monitoring & Evaluation Unit, and mechanization centers with online tractor booking in all 34 local government areas. The Katsina State Enterprise Development Agency (KASEDA) has also been strengthened to support micro, small, and medium enterprises.

International partnerships with the World Bank, UNDP, U.S.-based NGOs, and a recent cooperation agreement with the Belarus Border Security Agency have unlocked additional funding and technical assistance.

Speaking at the summit’s closing, Radda assured investors that “Katsina is ready, willing, and open for business,” pledging transparency and swift implementation of agreements. He thanked federal officials, including Minister of State for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction Yusuf Tanko Sununu, for their support.

While specific projects and timelines for the N489.4 billion commitments were not immediately detailed, state officials said announcements on flagship investments would follow in the coming weeks. The pledges are expected to accelerate infrastructure upgrades, expand agro-processing zones, and create thousands of direct and indirect jobs.