Kaduna State rakes in over $4.4bn from Investments

Kaduna state government has attracted a total investment portfolio of $4,488,000,000 billion comprising actualised and announced investments and has created 75,750 direct and indirect jobs, in the last seven years, the governor, Nasir El Rufai has said.

The Governor made this known while making a presentation at the 7th Kaduna Economic and Investment Summit.

 “Kaduna state is also the most improved state in 2018 Ease of Doing Business Subnational report by the World Bank and it has a very investor-friendly environment.

“The state is also the third biggest consumer market in Nigeria, the third most populous state in Nigeria and has 52% of Nigeria’s consumer market,”

Mallam El Rufai added: “Besides, Kaduna state is rich in mineral resources as it has over 25 non-oil mineral deposits, including gold, iron ore and marble,” he added.

The governor also listed some of the major achievements of his administration to include raking in N52 billion as Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) in 2021.

He announced that the State’s IGR was N11 billion in 2015 when he assumed office.

Infrastructure Development

Speaking of infrastructure development, Governor El-Rufai also said that the remodeled Murtala Muhammed Square was commissioned this year as it now has world class sporting facilities such as; shopping malls, restaurants and various recreational centres.

The Governor disclosed that “Kaduna State Government has handed over Zaria Pharmaceuticals to private investors, who will produce syringes, intravenous fluids and specimen bottles. The revamped company is expected to create 200 direct and over 1,000 indirect jobs.

“This year, the Technology City was commissioned at Barnawa, with CoLab Innovation Campus as anchor tenant. The manufacturing facility of AMA Medical, a plant built to produce intravenous fluids, was also commissioned,” he added.

“Zipline’s operations for instant delivery of medical consumables to health facilities was commissioned at Pambegua, the first of three planned distribution hubs in the state,” he said.

“KDSG signed a technical and management service agreement with Doctors Clinic Company of the United Arab Emirates, for the management of the 300-bed hospital.”

“In addition, it also signed an agreement with Elekta for the purchase of equipment for the nuclear medicine and oncology centre at the hospital. This will expand the national capacity for treating cancer,” he added.

States throughout the country should “begin to innovate and become more resilient against global economic shocks, and begin to harness their comparative advantages to increase internally generated revenues and job creation to withstand these crisis.”

Job Creation

The State Government said it has created 75, 750 direct and indirect jobs in the last seven years through different investments in the state.

The governor said the state has provided a conducive environment for the private sector to drive the economy, by embarking on numerous policy actions and reforms.

El Rufai further said that the state “is also the third biggest consumer market in Nigeria, the third most populous state in Nigeria and has 52% of Nigeria’s consumer market.’’

‘’Besides, Kaduna state is rich in mineral resources as it has over 25 non-oil mineral deposits, including gold, iron ore and marble,’’ he added.

Hauwa Abu