Kwara to Set Up Innovation Hubs

Hammed Shittu in Ilorin

The Kwara State Government has said it is seeking to benefit from the N200 billion intervention fund of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) that had been set aside to promote entrepreneurship.

The State Governor, Alhaji Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq, disclosed this in Ilorin recently, while receiving the delegation of Kwara Youth Centre (KYC).

KYC is an umbrella body of young people, especially professionals, who research into the challenges in various communities and offer short and long term solutions or interventions.

He said talks had reached an advanced stage for the state to be considered for the funds that would establish innovation hubs in the area of high-end movie production and textile manufacturing.

According to him, “We are talking with the CBN on the innovation hub and I’m glad to inform you that our proposal to access the fund is receiving favourable ratings.”

He said that, “When these hubs are created, they would generate at least 2000 jobs in the area of movie production and textile designs.”

The governor said the hubs would attract European and Chinese firms and lead to technology transfer to the indigenous workers.

AbdulRazaq envisioned a state where government would create the right environment for individuals to create wealth and employment rather than anyone relying exclusively on the government to give them job. He restated his commitment to agricultural value chains, especially in the area of cashew and sugarcane.

The governor said Kwara State, with the right investment in infrastructure, has the potential to be the number one producer of sugar in Africa.

AbdulRazaq said Kwara under him would pay counterpart funding to access funds set aside by the federal government and multilateral institutions to drive growth in the grassroots, especially in the area of education and provision of basic amenities.

Earlier, Mr. Kayode Oyin-Zubair, Convener of KYC, said the visit was to bring AbdulRazaq up to speed on the activities of the group which the Governor had long been supporting.

The group urged the governor to focus on empowering the youth in various ways and establishing economic clusters for different categories of entrepreneurs, artisans and creative sector.