By Kamilu Lawal
The Katsina State Government has intensified efforts to promote economic diversification and strengthen the state’s contribution to Nigeria’s non-oil export drive through a sensitisation and enlightenment campaign on the One State, One Product (OSOP) initiative.
The campaign, organised by the Katsina State Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Investment, brought together government officials, manufacturers, processors, farmers, traders, exporters, cooperatives and other stakeholders to deepen awareness of the initiative and encourage greater participation in value addition and export-oriented production.
The One State, One Product (OSOP) initiative is being implemented nationwide by the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) in partnership with state governments as part of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda to diversify the economy, expand non-oil exports, stimulate industrialisation, create employment opportunities and increase foreign exchange earnings.
Speaking with journalists on the sidelines of the campaign, the Katsina State Commissioner for Commerce, Trade and Investment, Hon. Yusuf Rabiu Jirdede, said the initiative demonstrates the commitment of the administration of Governor Dikko Umaru Radda to complementing the Federal Government’s economic transformation agenda by harnessing the state’s comparative advantages in agriculture, agro-processing and manufacturing.
He explained that the programme is designed to identify products with strong commercial potential, improve their quality through value addition and standardisation, strengthen local industries and expand access to domestic, regional and international markets.
Jirdede noted that the state government has continued to implement investment-friendly policies, support micro, small and medium-sized enterprises and improve the ease of doing business to position Katsina as a competitive destination for investment and export-oriented enterprises.
He urged farmers, processors, manufacturers, exporters and investors to embrace the opportunities provided under the OSOP initiative, stressing that stronger collaboration between government institutions and the private sector would unlock the state’s economic potential and enhance the competitiveness of products from Katsina in global markets.
Also speaking, the Coordinator of the Katsina State Trade Facilitation Centre, Usman Dalhatu, said the centre is committed to facilitating trade by simplifying export procedures, improving market access, providing guidance on export documentation and supporting businesses to meet national and international standards.
Dalhatu said the sensitisation campaign was aimed at equipping stakeholders with the knowledge and skills required to leverage the OSOP initiative, embrace value addition and improve the marketability of locally produced goods in regional and international markets.
Participants described the campaign as a timely intervention that would boost local production, encourage value addition, attract investment, create employment opportunities and strengthen the competitiveness of indigenous products in export markets.
The campaign underscores Katsina State’s commitment to complementing the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda by leveraging the NEPC-led One State, One Product initiative to unlock the state’s economic potential, expand non-oil exports and drive sustainable economic growth.
