By Maduabuchi Nmeribeh/Katsina
Katsina State Governor, Dikko Umaru Radda, recently visited the Huawei Smart City Innovation Centre in Shanghai, China, where he held high-level talks with the company’s leadership, led by the Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Chris Leu, on a potential partnership to establish a Smart City in Katsina.
Our Correspondent reports that the Shanghai Smart City Innovation Centre, which opened last year, welcomed Governor Radda as the first top African government official to visit the facility, marking a historic moment for both Katsina State and Huawei’s Africa engagement.
A Statement by Ibrahim Kaula Mohammed, Chief Press Secretary to Governor Radda, indicated that the visit marked a significant step in the Radda-led administration’s push to digitally transform governance and improve service delivery across all sectors.
During the meeting, Huawei presented a comprehensive proposal to support Katsina in deploying a full-scale smart city framework, ranging from 5G network rollout and cloud infrastructure to the deployment of e-governance platforms, training hubs, and logistics centres.
Governor Radda welcomed the proposal, noting that Katsina has already laid strong groundwork in ICT development.
He cited key reforms such as the removal of Right-of-Way (RoW) charges since December 2023 to accelerate fibre-optic expansion across the state.
“Katsina is ready for digital transformation,” the Governor said. “From smart agriculture to smart water metering, from e-health to digital land administration, we’ve already begun the journey. What we need now is a strong technology partner to scale up,” he said.
The Governor also highlighted the efforts of the Katsina Directorate of ICT (KATDICT), which has led initiatives such as digital mapping under KATGIS, Treasury Single Account, TSA hospital service digitalisation, the introduction of a unified resident ID card, and a framework for expanding ICT infrastructure.
Huawei, a global leader in ICT for over 26 years, operating in Nigeria, expressed readiness to support Katsina in expanding broadband access, enhancing data governance, and building smart solutions across key sectors such as education, security, health, and agriculture.
Governor Radda stressed that the proposed partnership must prioritise local talent development.
“We want to build a data warehouse in Katsina. We want to establish a research and development hub right here in our state so that young people can innovate, solve problems, and drive digital change,” he added.
On agriculture, the Governor said his administration is exploring the use of smart technology to improve irrigation, monitor crop health, and strengthen food security across rural communities.
“We are also deploying digital water metering to promote fair access and accountability in water supply,” he said.
Both parties agreed to set up a joint technical working group to develop a clear roadmap for implementing the Katsina Smart City project.
Governor Radda stated that: “We are committed to building a future where technology makes life easier, safer, and more prosperous for all. This journey is about inclusion, and no one should be left behind in the new digital Katsina.”
The Governor was accompanied on the visit by his wife, Her Excellency Fatima Dikko Radda; Principal Private Secretary, Abdullahi Aliyu Turaji; Katsina’s lead consultant, Haroun Abba Gana; and the Managing Director of the Katsina State Water Board, Dr. Tukur Hassan Tingilin.