By Rabiu Sanusi
The Kano State Government has urged youths across the state to embrace a newly launched national innovation initiative aimed at strengthening digital capacity, boosting entrepreneurship, and accelerating technology-driven development.
The Commissioner for Information, Comrade Ibrahim Abdullahi Waiya, made the call in Kano during the official launch of the programme titled “Unlocking Nigeria’s Innovation Potential: Hubs as Engines of Transformation and Innovation Support Network.”
Waiya described Kano as the most strategic host for the initiative, noting that the state has one of the largest populations of skilled, creative, and tech-inclined young people in the country.
“This programme gives our young people a rare opportunity to acquire modern competencies that will prepare them for global competitiveness,” the Commissioner said.
The initiative is supported by the German Cooperation (Deutsche Zusammenarbeit) and co-funded by the European Union, in collaboration with Nigerian partners.
It is designed to expand digital skills training, strengthen innovation hubs and promote a technology-driven economy nationwide.
The Director-General of the programme, Dr. Adu Muzakkari, also encouraged Kano youths to take full advantage of the opportunities embedded in the project.
According to him, the intervention aims to uplift local innovators, empower startups, and build a stronger ecosystem for technological growth.
Experts at the event noted that the initiative will accelerate entrepreneurship, support job creation and drive economic diversification.
They added that Kano’s vibrant youth population and expanding tech community position the state as a potential innovation hub for Nigeria.
The programme will kick off with capacity-building sessions, mentorship support and the establishment of collaborative innovation hubs where young creators can develop practical solutions to national and local challenges.
Meanwhile, Katsina State Governor, Malam Dikko Umar Radda, represented by Dr. Abdulganiyyu Rufa’i Yakub, outlined the state’s broader vision to transition into a knowledge-based and innovation-led economy.
He highlighted achievements recorded over the past two years, anchored on the work of the Katsina State Directorate of ICT & Digital Transformation (KATDICT).
“When we began this journey, we knew that agriculture alone could not sustain our people’s prosperity in the 21st century. We needed new pillars built on technology, innovation, and modern governance,” the governor said.
He explained that KATDICT has provided statewide connectivity, secure cloud infrastructure, thousands of digital tools for civil servants, continuous digital literacy training and the early automation of government services.
“These efforts are laying the foundation for the ‘One Government Enterprise’ we envision — a public sector that is integrated, transparent, efficient and fully digital,” he added.
Radda noted that the transformation must extend beyond the public sector, stressing that a thriving innovation ecosystem is essential for young entrepreneurs to translate ideas into viable, job-creating ventures.
