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….Association Urges Tinubu to Provide Soft Loans for Traders, Says Modern Markets and Industries Can Revive Northern Economy
By: Abdullahi Inuwa, Sani Gazas Chinade, Damaturu
The Kulen Allah Cattle Rearers Association of Nigeria (KACRAN) has challenged the 19 northern governors to adopt Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni’s commercial revolution initiative as a blueprint for rebuilding the region’s economy, creating employment opportunities and tackling insecurity.
The association also called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to provide accessible soft loans and special intervention funds to traders and business owners operating in newly constructed modern markets across Yobe State and other parts of Northern Nigeria.
KACRAN said the combination of modern commercial infrastructure, industrial development, affordable business financing and employment opportunities could help restore the economic prosperity the region enjoyed in previous decades.
The appeal was contained in a press statement signed by the association’s leader, Khalid Muhammad Bello, who urged northern political leaders to look beyond immediate challenges and embrace practical economic policies capable of transforming the region.
According to the association, Northern Nigeria must urgently reclaim its historic reputation as a centre of commerce, agriculture, hospitality and economic opportunity.
KACRAN recalled that between the 1960s and 1990s, Northern Nigeria was widely associated with peace, mutual trust, hospitality and thriving commercial activities.
The association described that period as one in which the region benefited from abundant agricultural resources, strong community relationships, responsible leadership and an environment that encouraged legitimate business.
It noted that traders and entrepreneurs from Southern Nigeria and other parts of the world were attracted to the North because of the opportunities available and the confidence people had in its commercial environment.
According to the statement, travellers could move between communities with relative confidence, while strangers were often welcomed and accommodated as members of local families.
KACRAN also recalled a period when educational qualifications that would be considered modest today could secure employment, particularly in teaching, giving young people a pathway towards financial independence.
The association further highlighted the traditional system of business support, under which established traders helped aspiring entrepreneurs obtain goods, vehicles and other business assets on trust.
It cited the late Alhaji Barau of Potiskum as an example of a prominent businessman who reportedly provided aspiring transport operators with between 12 and 24 trailers on trust, allowing them to repay gradually as their businesses grew.
The statement said such practices demonstrated the importance of confidence, mentorship and accessible capital in building successful commercial communities.
KACRAN also recalled how young people lived in the households of traditional rulers, businessmen and Islamic scholars as ‘yan gida, where they received accommodation, guidance and opportunities to develop their livelihoods.
The association argued that reviving these values, alongside modern economic policies, would be essential to rebuilding Northern Nigeria.
Contrasting the past with present realities, KACRAN expressed concern over insecurity, declining industrial activities, political divisions, ethno-religious mistrust and widespread youth unemployment across the region.
It warned that the growing number of unemployed graduates and young people without sustainable livelihoods posed serious challenges to economic development, food security and public safety.
According to the association, persistent insecurity has disrupted farming, cattle rearing, fishing and other traditional economic activities that once sustained millions of households.
The statement observed that communities cannot achieve lasting prosperity when farmers are unable to cultivate their land, livestock owners face difficulties moving their animals safely, and traders struggle to transport goods to markets.
KACRAN maintained that restoring the region’s economic fortunes requires deliberate investment in infrastructure, agriculture, industrialisation and commercial activities capable of providing legitimate sources of income.
It said the present situation should encourage northern leaders to develop practical solutions rather than rely solely on political promises.
Against this backdrop, the association identified Governor Mai Mala Buni’s commercial development programme in Yobe State as an initiative worthy of consideration by other northern states.
KACRAN said the governor had invested billions of naira in the construction of modern markets designed to improve trading conditions, strengthen commercial activities and create employment opportunities.
According to the statement, modern markets of international standards have been completed in major commercial centres, including Potiskum, Damaturu, Gashua, Nguru and Gaidam.
It added that market projects in other local government areas were at advanced stages of completion.
The association disclosed that Gujba and Fune were among the local government areas expected to benefit from two modern markets each, bringing the total number of completed and ongoing modern market projects to 19.
KACRAN described the investments as significant steps towards rebuilding Yobe’s commercial infrastructure after years of economic disruption caused by insurgency.
It argued that well-planned markets could improve access to trading facilities, attract investors, expand business opportunities and strengthen the movement of agricultural products from rural communities to major commercial centres.
The association said such facilities would become even more beneficial if traders received adequate financial support to stock their shops, expand their businesses and employ additional workers.
Beyond market construction, KACRAN highlighted the development of trailer parks in Potiskum and Damaturu as another component of the governor’s commercial strategy.
According to the statement, the Potiskum trailer park has been completed, while construction of the facility in Damaturu is ongoing.
The association said the projects were designed to support transportation and commercial activities by providing facilities for heavy-duty vehicles involved in the movement of goods.
It also commended the establishment of four sesame seed cleaning and packaging factories in Nguru, Machina, Damaturu and Potiskum.
The factories, it said, formed part of efforts to promote industrialisation, create jobs and strengthen the value chain for agricultural commodities produced in the state.
KACRAN maintained that processing and packaging agricultural products locally could help create additional economic opportunities for farmers, traders, transport operators and other participants in the supply chain.
The association attributed the progress recorded under the commercial revolution initiative to the Yobe State Government’s commitment to economic recovery and the supervision of the Ministry of Commerce, Industry, Tourism and Solid Minerals.
It particularly commended the ministry’s commissioner, Hon. Kaigama Umar, for his role in overseeing the initiative.
The association also praised the ministry’s permanent secretary, directors, the managing director of Yobe State Investment Company, general managers, information officer and other personnel for their contributions to the implementation and monitoring of the projects.
While challenging the northern governors to replicate the Yobe model, KACRAN urged President Tinubu to complement the state government’s investments through affordable financing and targeted economic interventions.
The association said traders moving into modern markets would require sufficient working capital to purchase goods, maintain their businesses and take advantage of improved commercial facilities.
It called for soft loans and special intervention funds that would enable business owners to expand their operations without facing excessive financial pressure.
According to KACRAN, combining modern markets with accessible financing could stimulate investment, generate millions of jobs across commercial value chains and contribute to the growth of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
The association also argued that economic empowerment could support security efforts by providing young people with alternatives to criminal activities and other harmful influences.
It urged the federal and state governments to treat commercial development as an important component of a broader strategy for addressing insecurity, poverty and unemployment.
KACRAN maintained that Governor Buni’s initiative should serve as an example of how state governments can use commercial infrastructure and industrial investments to stimulate economic recovery.
The association stressed, however, that replicating the model would require more than constructing markets and factories.
It said governments must also ensure that the facilities remain functional, traders can access affordable financing, agricultural producers have reliable routes to markets, and young people acquire the skills needed to benefit from emerging opportunities.
For Northern Nigeria, the association argued, the challenge is to combine the region’s rich agricultural resources, entrepreneurial traditions and human capital with policies that support sustainable economic growth.
It called on the 19 northern governors to study Yobe’s commercial development strategy and adapt its key elements to the economic realities of their respective states.
KACRAN expressed optimism that coordinated investment in markets, transportation, agro-processing and small businesses could help restore confidence, improve livelihoods and strengthen economic cooperation across the region.
The association concluded that rebuilding Northern Nigeria’s commercial strength would require collective commitment from governments, traditional institutions, business communities and development partners.
It urged political leaders to make economic empowerment a central priority, stressing that a prosperous region with viable businesses, productive industries and meaningful employment opportunities would be better positioned to address its security and development challenges.
Abdullahi Inuwa Social Commentator ainuwa303@gmail.com
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