Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf, has called for greater investment in Nigeria’s orange economy, describing the creative and cultural sector as a major pathway to job creation, entrepreneurship and sustainable economic growth.
Yusuf said strategic attention to the orange economy would enable states and the Federal Government to unlock the country’s vast human, creative and entrepreneurial potential while creating new opportunities for young people and women.
The Governor spoke through his Deputy, Murtala Garo, at a dinner organised to mark the conclusion of a one-week study tour of Kano by participants of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) Senior Executive Course 48, 2026.
The delegation, led by Brigadier General L.A. Jimoh, mni, visited Kano to examine the state’s development initiatives and assess how its human capital entrepreneurial ecosystem could contribute to sustainable development in Nigeria.
Yusuf commended NIPSS for its contribution to national policy development and expressed appreciation to the institute for selecting Kano as a focus of the study tour.
He noted that the delegation’s engagements with government institutions, traditional leaders, private-sector operators and members of the public, as well as visits to cultural sites and markets, provided valuable insights into Kano’s economic realities, challenges and long-standing entrepreneurial culture.
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According to him, Kano’s historic position as a centre of commerce and enterprise, combined with its large youth population and diverse creative industries, presents significant opportunities to expand the orange economy and strengthen Nigeria’s broader economic base.
The Governor also expressed optimism that the study tour would generate practical recommendations to support entrepreneurship, innovation, cultural preservation and economic diversification across the country.
In his remarks, Brigadier General Jimoh commended the Kano State Government for initiatives aimed at promoting creativity, entrepreneurship and economic empowerment.
He described Kano as a historic and contemporary hub of enterprise, innovation, craftsmanship, trade d andhuman capital, noting that its long-standing strengths in textiles, leatherwork, fashion, agriculture, manufacturing ,and commerce provide a strong foundation for the expansion of the orange economy.
He said the delegation identified substantial opportunities in traditional crafts, film, media, design, music, publishing, cultural tourism and digital enterprise, stressing that the sectors could contribute significantly to employment generation and wealth creation.
Jimoh particularly highlighted the revival of 26 entrepreneurship skills training schools by the state government, saying the initiative had provided thousands of young people with vocational skills, working tools and start-up support.
He said such interventions demonstrated the potential of the orange economy to empower youths and women, preserve Nigeria’s cultural heritage and increase the contribution of creative industries to national economic development.
Earlier, the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Suleiman Wali Sani, mni, welcomed the NIPSS delegation and thanked the institute for choosing Kano for the study.
The Chairman of the Planning Committee and Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Danjuma Mahmoud, also commended members of the committee and the NIPSS delegation for the successful completion of the engagement.
The study tour underscores the growing recognition of the creative economy as an important component of Nigeria’s diversification strategy, with states such as Kano seeking to leverage their cultural heritage, entrepreneurial traditions and youthful population to create sustainable economic opportunities.
