How Katsina is not just developing but setting the pace, By Ibrahim Kaula Mohammed

“Katsina is not just developing. It is leading.” Those were the words of Vice President Kashim Shettima as he departed Katsina on Tuesday afternoon, after a two-day working visit that revealed the depth of transformation happening in the state. It was not a political statement.

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It was an observation—one made by Nigeria’s number two citizen after witnessing firsthand what Governor Dikko Umaru Radda has built. But what does it mean for a state to lead?

And why did the Vice President choose that word—leading—to describe Katsina? The answer became clear from the moment his aircraft touched down at Umaru Musa Yar’adua International Airport last Monday evening. Thousands of citizens lined the streets, waving flags and cheering—not out of compulsion but genuine joy.

What does it say when people celebrate a visit with such enthusiasm? It says they are proud of what their state has become. Governor Radda, his Deputy Faruk Lawal Jobe, Speaker Nasir Yahaya Daura, Chief of Staff Abdulkadir Mamman Nasir, and Minister of Housing Ahmed Musa Dangiwa received the Vice President.

The two-day visit was not just protocol—it was validation. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope” vision met Governor Radda’s “Building Your Future” agenda, and what emerged was proof that when federal support meets state-led innovation, transformation happens. That evening at the Muhammadu Buhari Banquet Hall, the MSME Award Dinner celebrated creativity and enterprise.

Tailors, leather workers, food processors, and digital designers filled the hall—each representing Katsina’s rebirth as a hub of innovation. The event also marked the graduation of 18 young people from the Dikko Youth Programme.

Vice President Shettima praised Governor Radda’s vision, calling Katsina “a model of enterprise in northern Nigeria.” Governor Radda responded simply: “When we support small businesses, we strengthen families, communities, and hope itself.”

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Let’s ask ourselves: how many governors prioritize youth empowerment with such consistency? How many create platforms where young people don’t just receive handouts but learn skills that last a lifetime? This is what leading looks like.

By sunrise on Tuesday, the Continental Complex was alive with ambition. Young entrepreneurs displayed shoes, clothes, cosmetics, solar devices, and handmade crafts. Then Vice President Shettima made the announcement: “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved a grant of N250,000 for each outstanding MSME exhibitor here today.”

But here’s what matters more—over 39,000 small businesses in Katsina have already benefited from federal programmes, receiving about N2.5 billion. Governor Radda didn’t just wait for federal intervention; he created KASEDA, established a five-year MSME policy, and announced a six-month post-clinic mentorship program to ensure the grants translate into lasting businesses. Can you name another state where federal support is matched with such detailed local planning?

Where grants are followed by mentorship, monitoring, and measurable results? This is what leading looks like. Later that afternoon, the Vice President commissioned a 3.3-kilometre dual carriageway from Central Mosque Roundabout to WTC Roundabout—gleaming under solar-powered streetlights with neat walkways. “Katsina is building not for praise but for the future,” Vice President Shettima observed.

Governor Radda explained that this road is part of an Urban Renewal Program covering ten major roads and more than 55 kilometres. “These roads connect opportunities,” he said. “They link markets, schools, and communities to the wider economy.”

Think about it: how many governors commission roads that actually transform neighborhoods? Roads with solar lights that work? Roads that connect livelihoods, not just locations? This is what leading looks like. Then came the moment that perhaps best captured why Vice President Shettima called Katsina a leader—the commissioning of the Katsina Sustainable Platform for Agriculture (KASPA). Inside the modern facility, digital screens displayed live data on rainfall, fertilizer distribution, crop mapping, and farmer support.

Governor Radda led the Vice President through the Citizens Contact Centre, Monitoring Room, and Farmers’ Database Unit. Young staff answered farmers’ calls in Hausa and English, providing real-time help to people from all 34 local governments.

Vice President Shettima was impressed: “This is what innovation looks like when local knowledge meets national vision. KASPA shows that great ideas don’t always come from Abuja. Sometimes they grow from the soil.” Governor Radda explained: “Through KASPA, we can track every piece of land farmed, every input given, and every farmer supported. This is modern farming powered by data and care.”

The system plans to register one million farmers. Over 20,000 metric tonnes of fertilizer and 400 tractors have already been distributed through the platform. Patriotic Katsinawa, let’s ask ourselves again: which other state has built such a system? Where else can a farmer in a remote village call a government helpline and get instant help in his own language? This is what leading looks like. In the KASPA command room, the Vice President watched as a call agent helped a farmer asking about delayed supplies.

He turned to Governor Radda and smiled: “This is the new Nigeria—a country where farmers can call and be heard.” Governor Radda nodded: “We are changing how people see government. It’s no longer about filling forms. It’s about finding solutions.” That moment captured everything—humble leadership, creative governance, people-centered progress.

That is what leading looks like. As the Vice President departed on Tuesday afternoon, citizens again filled the streets, cheering and waving.

Before boarding, he said something profound: “Katsina is not just developing. It is leading.” Let that sink in. The Vice President of Nigeria said Katsina is leading.

Not following. Not catching up. Leading. He added: “What Governor Radda has built here should be studied, supported, and copied across Nigeria.” When was the last time a federal official said that about any northern state? When was the last time innovation in governance came from this region and drew national attention?

Vice President Shettima’s words were not flattery. They were fact. Because leading is not about noise—it’s about results. It’s not about promises—it’s about delivery. It’s not about what you say—it’s about what you build. Governor Radda’s “Building Your Future” agenda is not a slogan. It is a framework producing real results—jobs, roads, innovation centers, farming systems that blend technology with tradition. Is Katsina leading in youth empowerment?

The Dikko Youth Programme, KASEDA, and MSME mentorship programs say yes. Is Katsina leading in enterprise development? The N2.5 billion disbursed to 39,000 businesses and the N250,000 MSME grants say yes. Is Katsina leading in infrastructure?

The 55 kilometres of urban roads with solar lights say yes. Is Katsina leading in agricultural innovation? KASPA, with one million farmers to be enrolled, says yes. Is Katsina leading under Governor Radda? The Vice President’s words—”Katsina is not just developing, it is leading”—say yes.

And under Governor Radda’s vision, it will continue to lead. The question is no longer whether Katsina can lead—it’s whether other states will follow the example. Wait no more. Join the movement that’s putting Katsina on the right trajectory. Because when a state leads with vision, innovation, and purpose, everyone benefits.

Ibrahim Kaula Mohammed wrote from Katsina