Katsina State Governor, Malam Dikko Umaru Radda, has reaffirmed the readiness of the Katsina State Government to build strong, strategic and mutually beneficial partnerships with the Republic of Poland across several critical sectors, including agriculture, livestock, security, education, mining, technology, culture and investment. The Governor made this position known during a high-level engagement with the Ambassador of the Republic of Poland to the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Mr. Michał Cygan, during his official visit to the Polish Embassy in Abuja.
Governor Radda expressed appreciation to the Polish Embassy for what he described as a cordial relationship and the opportunity to deepen cooperation between Katsina State and Poland. He stressed that the state is determined to move beyond expressions of goodwill and shift toward concrete partnerships driven by institutions and the private sector, with clear benefits for both sides.
“Katsina State is an agrarian state, with over 90 per cent of our people engaged in agriculture and the agricultural value chain, mostly as smallholder farmers. We have completed a comprehensive baseline survey of more than 440,000 farmers, capturing their data, land size and location. This database is guiding our planning, targeting of interventions and efforts to improve productivity,” the Governor stated.
He explained that while the state government is investing in mechanisation and the provision of farm inputs, there is still a strong need for support in improved seed technology, seed enhancement, post-harvest handling, storage and value addition. According to him, these areas are critical to unlocking the full potential of the state’s agricultural sector. He listed major crops cultivated in Katsina State to include maize, millet, wheat, rice, groundnut, cotton, sesame, hibiscus, soybean and others.
“Low productivity is largely due to poor seed quality and weak post-harvest systems, which lead to significant losses. With improved seeds, modern processing, storage and strong value-chain development, yields can rise sharply and post-harvest losses can be drastically reduced,” Governor Radda noted.
Speaking on livestock development, the Governor disclosed that Katsina State is in the process of establishing a modern meat processing plant and adopting global best practices in feedlot and abattoir operations. He said this follows recent exposure to large-scale livestock facilities abroad that are capable of processing up to 2,000 cattle per day.
“These interventions in agro-processing and value addition are aimed at revamping our economy, creating jobs, reducing poverty and strengthening food security,” he added.
In the solid minerals sector, Governor Radda revealed that Katsina State has significant mineral deposits and has already engaged a German firm, Geoscan, which has completed comprehensive geotechnical and geological surveys across parts of the state. He said the state also holds relevant mining licences and that detailed reports from the surveys will be shared with prospective partners to guide investment decisions and open new areas for collaboration.
On security, the Governor highlighted the impact of the Community Watch Corps, which he said has been locally recruited, trained and equipped to support security efforts at the grassroots. According to him, the initiative has strengthened intelligence gathering and community-based security responses. He added that collaboration with conventional security agencies, supported by improved equipment and logistics, has led to a significant reduction in insecurity across Katsina State.
“We have recorded remarkable progress, and we are also preparing for the future, including the evolving framework for state policing, with emphasis on modern equipment, drones, surveillance technology and rapid response capabilities,” he said.
In the education sector, Governor Radda recalled existing partnerships with Egypt and China, under which Katsina students are currently studying medicine, artificial intelligence and biotechnology through scholarship arrangements. He expressed the state’s readiness to establish similar cooperation with Polish universities through exchange programmes, joint research initiatives, staff capacity building and institutional linkages.
The Governor also appreciated Poland’s participation in Katsina’s cultural activities, particularly the Durbar Festival, describing the display of Polish traditional attire during the event as a symbol of cultural exchange and shared values between the two sides.
Governor Radda welcomed the proposal for the establishment of a joint technical committee to follow up on the discussions held during the engagement. He said the committee would help identify concrete areas of cooperation, coordinate engagements and facilitate visits by investors, universities and technical institutions from both Katsina State and Poland.
“Our doors are open. Katsina State is ready to partner with Poland in security, education, agriculture, livestock, mining, technology, culture and investment. We look forward to translating today’s engagements into practical, sustainable and mutually beneficial outcomes,” the Governor affirmed.
Earlier, the Polish Ambassador, Mr. Michał Cygan, commended the speed with which the engagement was arranged, describing it as a clear shift from dialogue to action. He recalled his earlier visit to Katsina State during the Durbar Festival, which he said deepened his interest in the state and strengthened his resolve to explore concrete areas of cooperation.
The Ambassador said Poland has strong capabilities in security, education, agriculture, energy, information technology, cyber security, mining, railways, space technology, pharmaceuticals, defence equipment and food production. He added that Poland is a diversified economy valued at over one trillion dollars, with a population of about 40 million people.
Mr. Cygan identified security and education as immediate priority areas for collaboration and expressed interest in understanding Nigeria’s evolving security architecture, including the prospects of state policing, to ensure effective and well-aligned partnerships. He disclosed plans to engage Polish and European business leaders and export agencies with a view to organising a structured delegation of investors and institutions to Katsina State.
He also pledged to facilitate a business roundtable that will bring together Katsina and Polish business communities, chambers of commerce, universities and security institutions to establish direct working contacts and translate discussions into concrete projects. “The key outcome of today’s meeting is the establishment of practical cooperation mechanisms that will link our institutions, private sectors and people for mutually beneficial and sustainable development,” the Ambassador stated.
Those in attendance at the meeting included the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Alhaji Abdulkadir Mamman Nasir; the Principal Private Secretary, Abdullahi Aliyu Turaji; Alhaji Shamsu Sule, Board Member of the North West Development Commission; Ambassador Hussaini Coomassie; and Hajiya Hadiza Maikudi, Special Adviser on Intergovernmental and Development Partners. Also present were Umar Usman Machika, Ambassador of the United Nations State of Cherokee, as well as the Deputy Head of Mission and the First Secretary of the Polish Embassy.
