The 7.0 Kaduna Economic and Investment Summit Kadinvest has commenced with a view to attracting more investors into the state.
While declaring the summit open in Kaduna, the State Commissioner for Businesses, Innovation and Technology, Professor Kabiru Mato said the it will last for three days.
Professor Mato explained that, the theme for this year’s summit is “Building a Resilient Economy”
According to him, the first day of the Kadinvest consist of hosting the Business Expo with four main sectors which include technology, agriculture, infrastructure and solid minerals among others.
Professor Kabiru Mato stated that the business expo was meant to explore the mining industry in Kaduna, progress made, challenges and prospects, identify issues and proffer solutions toward making geo -scientific data available for improved investment decision-making.
Others are to identify and discuss innovative strategies for creating access to finance for firms and businesses operating in the mining sector , for optimization of the mining value chain as well as to increase job creation and economic diversification.
“At today’s Business Expo, we will understand how, four years into the implementation of KADIMP, the state has fared, what is the level of investment that has been made by the state or attracted to the state for infrastructure development, how the state leveraged PPP in the delivery of the plan and what the plans are for the future”
“It is with this goal in mind that we elected to organize this business expo, to provide an immersive experience for the world in the state’s technology, agricultural, infrastructural and solid mineral sectors”.
According Professor Kabiru Mato, Kaduna State Government will continue to make massive investments in the education sector, including digitizing the operations of state-owned tertiary institutions, training of teachers and purchase of computers at the secondary school level.
He pointed out that, the Code for Africa Pilot Program has equipped several secondary schools across the state with the necessary computing equipment and introduced coding as part of the educational curriculum for the senior secondary school students.
“In 2015, the Government established Kadamall, the first homegrown ecommerce platform in the State. In doing this, Kaduna State is exploring the potential of its youthful and digitally connected population making it poised to become the ICT hub of Northern Nigeria”
“Similarly, in 2017, the Government established the Kaduna ICT Hub, which provides a working environment and adequate support for tech-preneurs and software developers in the state”
“The Click-on Kaduna programme was established in 2018, with support from the Rockefeller Foundation and the World Bank to promote innovation by providing digital skills training and creating a platform for employment”
“This year the Tech Village initiative became operational, focusing on artisanal tech skills, by training and equipping residents to assemble smartphones, computers, and other ICT equipment. Our Singularity programme to prepare young people for the future when Artificial Intelligence surpasses the understanding of mankind is also well underway”
The Commissioner further disclosed that Kaduna is one of the most blessed states in mineral deposits, stressing that, the state is endowed with significant quantities and varieties of mineral resources, with deposits in all twenty three local government areas of the state.
He said as at 2020, there were 85 mineral exploration licenses, 40 quarry licenses, 15 mining leases and three small-scale mining leases active within the State while some mineral deposits are available in commercial quantities within the State include gemstones, gold, tantalite, columbite, manganese, lithium and nickel.
Also Speaking, the Emir of Zazzau, Malam Ahmad Nuhu Bamali urged government and private sectors to harness the solid minerals sector.
“When I was serving in Malaysia, I invited Kaduna and other states in Nigeria to participate in certain areas of investment especially the solid minerals sector; this is one area that I feel is still untapped”
“We have all the minerals that you can think of in this state, there is need for Kaduna state to wake-up and join the international community because Thailand is the hub for expo on solid minerals, worldwide.
“People go to Thailand annually for the exhibition and that is where you meet strategic partners that will come and support what you do here, support in terms of machineries, so that at least you have the technical knowhow on processing because we have a very large deposit of a variety of precious stones.”
Malam Nuhu Bamali also stressed that the deployment of ICT in every sector of the economy would definitely assist the state.
The second day of the event will consist of commissioning of various projects by Governor Nasiru El-Rufai while the last day will be the main summit, to be held at the Umaru Yar’adua Conference Centre at the Murtala Muhammed Square .
It is expected to be graced with high level panel sessions, presentations, keynotes, and video presentations that will market Kaduna state.
COV/AMINU DALHATU