By Mustapha Salisu
Kano State Deputy Governor, Alhaji Murtala Sule Garo, has urged participants of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) Senior Executive Course 48, 2026, to look beyond the challenges facing Kano and explore the opportunities embedded in its people, institutions, culture and economy.
Garo, who represented Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf while receiving the NIPSS delegation on a study tour in Kano, on Monday, said “Esteemed participants, as you undertake your study tour in Kano, I encourage you to look beyond the challenges and pay close attention to the possibilities that exist within our people, institutions, culture and economy.”
The Deputy Governor further explained that, the participants’ role goes beyond academic knowledge, as they are expected to examine national challenges, develop practical ideas and contribute to policies that can make a difference in the country.
He said the theme of the study tour, “Economic Diversification and National Development: Leveraging the Orange Economy and Entrepreneurship for Sustainable Growth in Nigeria,” was particularly relevant to the need to broaden the country’s economic base and create opportunities for its growing youth population.
According to him, Kano’s rich cultural heritage offers significant opportunities for the development of the Orange Economy, with traditional crafts, leather works, textile production, fashion, Hausa literature, film, performing arts, cultural festivals and historical sites capable of generating employment, tourism, investment and export opportunities.
“In Kano, culture is not only something to preserve; it is also a resource that can contribute directly to economic development,” the Deputy Governor said, stressing the government’s efforts to turn the state’s cultural endowments into commercially viable enterprises while preserving its identity and values.
Garo said the state government had continued to support micro, small and medium enterprises through initiatives covering skills acquisition, access to finance, business development services, innovation and market access, with the aim of encouraging young people to become job creators rather than job seekers.
He called for stronger collaboration among government, financial institutions, private investors, development partners, universities, research institutions, traditional institutions and entrepreneurs, saying such cooperation would help young people transform innovative ideas into viable enterprises.
The Deputy Governor further urged the participants to examine how agriculture, industry, commerce, technology and the creative economy could complement one another, noting that Nigeria has the resources, talent, creativity and entrepreneurial spirit needed to build a stronger and more diversified economy.
Read Also: The Kuru Breach: A Personal Reflection on the Vulnerability of Our Intellectual Heartland
Speaking earlier, Brigadier General L.A. Jimoh (Rtd), mni, a member of the Directing Staff and leader of the delegation, said Kano was considered critical to the study because of its rich arts and culture, vast human resources, technology, industry and talent, which he said have a direct relationship with the Orange Economy and Entrepreneurship for Sustainable Development in Nigeria.
Jimoh said the delegation was in Kano to interact with government agencies and relevant stakeholders involved in the Orange Economy and entrepreneurship, particularly in areas such as carnival, film, leather, tourism and other natural and cultural assets.
He said the information gathered would enable the delegation to enrich its draft report, which would be submitted to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu later in the year.
“We are not here to investigate Kano State. It’s not an investigative panel. We are just here to collect information as Nigerians, information that will help Mr. President to develop the Orange Economy,” Jimoh said.
He explained that the Federal Government was seeking to diversify the Nigerian economy beyond its traditional dependence on the oil sector, with the Orange Economy identified as a key area capable of contributing to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product and providing employment opportunities for the country’s large youth population.
Highlights of the visit included the presentation of souvenirs by the Kano State Government to the delegation. The delegation also presented two awards in recognition of the leadership of the state, with one conferred on the Executive Governor of Kano State, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, and the other on the Deputy Governor, Alhaji Murtala Sule Garo.
