Dikko Umaru Radda, Governor of Katsina State and Chairman of the Northwest Governors’ Forum, on Thursday called on private sector leaders and development partners to invest in Nigeria’s Northwest as a long-term solution to internal displacement. He spoke at the 2026 Conference on Market-Based Solutions for Internal Displacement held at Lagos Continental Hotel in Lagos.
Radda said durable solutions to displacement require restoring livelihoods, rebuilding local economies and attracting sustainable investment to affected communities. He identified agriculture, agro-processing, renewable energy, manufacturing and services as priority sectors with growth potential in the region.
“The Northwest possesses strong competitive advantages—vast agricultural potential, a youthful and resilient population, strategic trade corridors, and growing opportunities in agro-processing, renewable energy, manufacturing, and services,” the governor said.
He described the Northwest as Nigeria’s agricultural heartland, comprising Jigawa State, Kaduna State, Kano State, Katsina, Kebbi State, Sokoto State and Zamfara State. He said the states are major producers of rice, maize, millet, sorghum, cowpea, groundnut and soybean.
Radda highlighted the region’s irrigation assets, including the Sokoto-Rima Basin and dams such as Bakolori Dam, Goronyo Dam, Tiga Dam, Challawa Gorge Dam, Jibia Dam and Zobe Dam, which he said support dry-season and year-round farming.
He also identified livestock production as a major economic opportunity, noting that the Northwest accounts for a significant share of Nigeria’s cattle, sheep, goats, poultry and camels. Investments in dairy development, meat processing, animal feed production, veterinary services and leather industries, he said, could generate employment and increase internally generated revenue.
Radda urged governors in the region to participate actively in the conference panel session titled “Investing in the Northwest: Competitive Advantages, Priority Sectors, and De-risking Tools,” adding that the region’s leaders were united in efforts to revitalise agriculture and reposition the economy toward market-driven growth.
At the opening ceremony on Wednesday, Vice President Kashim Shettima, represented by the Minister of Defence, Christopher Gwabin Musa, said Nigeria hosts one of the largest displaced populations in Africa.
“Nigeria cannot afford to allow millions of capable citizens to remain economically excluded. Unlocking their potential is not only a moral imperative—it is an economic necessity and a strategic national priority,” Musa said on behalf of the Vice President.
He noted that while humanitarian assistance has saved lives, long-term stability cannot be sustained through relief efforts alone, stressing the need for livelihoods, skills and productive assets.
The United Nations Resident Coordinator in Nigeria, Mohamed Fall, said displacement extends beyond physical movement, describing it as involving loss of home, routines, dignity and freedom. He urged businesses to scale up investments in affected communities, saying the approach should focus on resilience and shared value rather than charity.
The Head of Development Cooperation at the British High Commission also said investment in displacement-affected communities could deliver measurable returns to businesses.
The two-day conference, themed “Securing Futures: Market-Based Solutions for Internal Displacement,” was convened by the Federal Government in collaboration with the United Nations, the International Finance Corporation and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
Among those in attendance were the Deputy Governor of Sokoto State, Abdulkadir Mamman Nasir, and representatives of the governors of Jigawa, Kebbi and Zamfara states, alongside other stakeholders.
