By Abbas Bamalli
At least 1,000 women online vendors, innovators and other entrepreneurs are currently participating in a two-day trade fair in Katsina.
The fair, which is aimed at promoting women entrepreneurs in the state, is organised by the Katsina State Vendors Ramadan Shopping Spree.
The women are using the fair to showcase their talents and skills in various businesses.
In a speech at the event on Monday, the Commissioner for Women Affairs, Hajiya Zainab Musa-Musawa, expressed excitement over the turnout of businesswomen at the event.
Musa-Musawa said that the State Government would consider supporting and ccollaborating with the organisers to make the fair wider and more regular.
According to her, the State Government considers businesses, especially small and medium scale, as vital, hence it established an enterprise agency.
“This is amazing and encouraging, so we will try to support these businesses, leveraging technology, because it is a new window to drive.
“We will partner with them and support the businesses and harness the data and talent we have in the state.
“This will give us the chance to know our strengths and weaknesses, in order to boost these talents.” the commissioner said.
She further said that the state would come up with palliative measures to help in reducing the people’s hardship by assisting them with food in the upcoming fasting period.
Also, the Commissioner for Youths and Sports Development, Alhaji Aliyu Lawal-Zakari, described the event as a welcome development, considering the commitment of the government in entrepreneurship.
Lawal-Zakari said that the government was committed to supporting the young entrepreneurs in the state, especially youths and women, aspiring to become big time entrepreneurs.
Earlier, one of the organisers, Hajiya Amina Zayyana, said that the aim of the trade fair was to cover the existing vacuum in business in the state, especially online businesses.
“The state is backward in terms of online businesses, therefore, the four of us saw the need to engage the women, to let them know of its importance.
“We earlier decided to train them on marketing strategies and this exhibition is part of what we have trained them to do.
“They were trained to know how to market their goods, especially online,” Zayyana said.
Another member of the organisers, Hajiya Hannatu Ahmed, said the event was organised to assist Katsina women to develop the zeal and passion for business.
She said that products at the fair were subsidized, considering the current economic hardship in the country, hence making them affordable to everyone.
“It will serve as an excellent platform for fostering collaboration, exploring new opportunities and staying updated on emerging trends in the business sector,” Ahmed said.
NAN