During a signing ceremony at the Dutse Government House on Tuesday, Governor Umar Namadi announced a new partnership aimed at providing medium and small-scale businesses in Jigawa State with access to soft loans.
The event, attended by key stakeholders and dignitaries, underscored the significance of this collaboration in the administration’s efforts to eradicate poverty, create jobs, and stimulate economic growth.
“This occasion marks a milestone in our journey toward poverty eradication, job creation, and development,” Governor Namadi stated. “Empowering people through their own businesses is a strategy we have adopted to accelerate growth and development in Jigawa State, and the Bank of Industry (BOI) is a key partner in this goal.”
Namadi highlighted the collaborative effort, adding, “With this MOU, we are committed to joining hands with the BOI to facilitate access to soft loans for small, medium, and large-scale businesses in the state. We are pleased to have a BOI branch in our state, and all relevant state government agencies are fully engaged to support Jigawa citizens in accessing these opportunities.”
Alhaji Shekarau Umar, Executive Director of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) at the BOI, hailed the MOU as a historic achievement for the bank.
“This is the largest MOU signed with any state government in the history of the Bank of Industry,” Umar noted.
Reflecting on the journey to this milestone, Umar said, “For the past 13 years, we have advocated for the establishment of the bank in Jigawa State without success. However, within six months of engaging with Governor Namadi, our dream has become a reality.”
Commending the governor’s commitment, Umar added, “Governor Namadi has shown unwavering dedication to empowering the people of Jigawa for poverty eradication, job creation, growth, and sustainable development. As we sign this MOU and commission our Dutse branch today, we assure the Jigawa State Government of our commitment to achieving the desired goals.”
The establishment of the BOI branch in Dutse is expected to provide significant support to local businesses, driving economic progress and improving the livelihoods of Jigawa State residents.
