Why Kano businesses ’re comatose, by varsity don

A senior lecturer with the Department of Economics, Bayero University Kano, has given some reasons why businesses have been in a state of total decline in Kano. 

Speaking at  a meeting for the  revival of business and commerce in Kano state, organised by M.N. Ataj Construction Ltd. and Aventus Industries Nigeria, held at Minat Event Centre in Kano  Sunday, Sagagi said lack of inclusion of business class in government is the major problem affecting business in the state. 

According to him, Kano, which is considered a commercial nerve centre of northern Nigeria, has been lagging behind in business because the business class has no voice in decision making in the state. 

He noted that businessmen in the state lacked representation in government, adding that their inclusion would help in making robust laws that would improve business in the commercial state. 

Citing example with Cross Rivers state, Sagagi said the South-south state, despites its lower Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) than may states from the North, had surpassed may states in the northern region in terms of agricultural business. 

He added that Cross River state had achieved the feat because the business class has strong representation in decision making, calling on Kano state to emulate it. 

“Let me tell you that in Cross River state, the business community has strong voice in government, so much that it has the power to influence the state governor to make appointments. 

“Lack of financial education has contributed to the collapse of business in Kano state. This lack of education is the cause of financial exclusion of our business people in the state. 

“This prevents our business people to have the knowledge on how to obtain bank loans in order to boost our businesses,” he said. 

He therefore called on the government to be up and doing to finetune its revenue derive to avoid being indebted. 

On his part, Prof. Kabiru Isa Dandago, another lecturer in BUK, described the revival of small-scale industries as panacea to business collapse in Kano state. 

“If our industries, especially small-scale industries are revived, it would be a panacea to the commercial problem in Kano. Wealth would be created, education would be developed, as well as the development of the entire state,” he said.