Hadiza Balarabe, deputy governor of Kaduna, says the state has positioned itself as one of Nigeria’s leading investment destinations following its participation in this year’s intra-Africa Trade Fair (IATF) in Algeria.
According to a statement by the state government on Tuesday, Balarabe, who led the state’s delegation, said Kaduna showcased its comparative advantages in mining, agriculture, manufacturing, and trade during the six-day event.
“The 6-day fair reinforced Kaduna State’s role as the gateway for investment in Northern Nigeria as the delegation highlighted the state’s investment-friendly reforms across all sectors,” she said.
The deputy governor said she also participated in a panel session at the fifth Africa sub-sovereign governments network (AISNET) investment conference, where she outlined the administration’s commitment to inclusive growth.
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With the theme “Local Power, Global Impact,” Balarabe said the conference highlighted the administration’s achievements in youth and women empowerment, noting that Uba Sani, Kaduna state governor, is extending support to the poor, underserved, and neglected groups.
The deputy governor, who chairs the Kaduna Investment Promotion Agency (KADIPA), described IATF as a unique platform for expanding trade and investment across Africa under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
She said AfCFTA represents a single market of more than 1.4 billion people with a combined gross domestic product (GDP) of $3.5 trillion.
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The fair, she added, was organised by the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) in collaboration with the African Union (AU) and the AfCFTA secretariat.
Balarabe said Kaduna’s delegation — which included Sadiq Mamman Lagos, commissioner for local government, and Sabiu Sani, special adviser on investment promotion — held strategic business-to-government (B2B) and government-to-government (G2G) meetings.
