Katsina State Government has explored investment opportunities with Egyptian businesses during the second B2B-Trade and Investment Forum in Cairo recently.
The trip to drive this economic development was sponsored by the Katsina State Development Management Board (KDMB).
The state delegation, led by Economic Adviser to the State Government Khalil Nur Khalil, alongside acting Rector of Katsina State Institute of Technology and Management Dr. Hindatu Salisu Abubakar and Executive Director of Investment and Tourism of KTDMB Hajiya Zuwaira Boyi, engaged in strategic discussions during the three-day forum themed “Egypt – Nigeria Partnership: Unlocking Shared Prosperity Through Trade and Investment.”
Economic Adviser Khalil explained that the delegation met with the officials from the General Authority for Investment (GAFI) at the Ministry of Investment and Foreign Trade.
“With this, we aim to establish communication channels for investment and trade collaborations between Egypt and Katsina State,” he explained.
Khalil also added that the initiative aims to create direct links between Egyptian businesses and their Katsina counterparts.
Also speaking, the acting Rector of Katsina State Institute of Technology and Management, Dr. Hindatu Salisu Abubakar revealed that the team held meetings with the Nassar Group, one of the Middle East and North Africa’s largest manufacturers of wire products and construction materials.
“We met the Co-founders Megahed Nassar and Fathy Ellaw and discussed potential joint venture opportunities, particularly focusing on reviving the Kankia Metal Works factory in Katsina State to serve the ECOWAS regional market,” she explained.
On the delegation’s visit to the Silo Foods for Food Industries factory in El-Sadat City, Hajiya Zuwaira Boyi, the Executive Director of Investment and Tourism at KTDMB described the factory as the region’s first fully integrated food production facility.
“We had discussions centered on establishing supply chain partnerships, with Katsina State becoming a major supplier of quality sesame seeds to the Egyptian food manufacturing giant,” Hajiya Zuwaira added.
Earlier, the Economic Adviser hinted that the partnerships represent significant opportunities for Katsina State’s economic growth.
“Our focus now is on initiating bilateral ties with the Egyptian Government while strengthening educational cooperation through KSITM to enhance human capacity development in our state,” he said.
