The Kulen Allah Cattle Rearers Association of Nigeria (KACRAN) has challenged the 19 governors of Northern Nigeria to adopt Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni’s commercial development blueprint, describing it as a potential pathway to economic recovery, job creation and improved security across the region.
The association also urged President Bola Tinubu to provide accessible soft loans and special intervention funds for traders and entrepreneurs operating in newly developed markets, saying inadequate business capital remains a major constraint to unlocking the economic potential of Northern Nigeria.
KACRAN, in a statement issued on Tuesday by its National President, Hon. Khalil Mohammed Bello, said the region needed a deliberate economic revival strategy to address insecurity, industrial decline, youth unemployment and the disruption of agriculture and livestock production.
It identified Buni’s investment in modern markets, trailer parks and sesame seed processing facilities as a model that other Northern states could replicate to stimulate commercial activities and create employment opportunities.
According to the association, the Yobe State Government has invested billions of naira in the construction of modern markets across the state’s 17 local government areas, with projects completed in major commercial centres and others approaching completion.
It listed Potiskum, Damaturu, Gashua, Nguru and Gaidam among the towns where modern markets have been completed, adding that Gujba and Fune are among the local government areas expected to have two markets each.
The association said the completed and ongoing projects would bring the total number of modern markets to 19.
It also highlighted the construction of two trailer parks in Potiskum and Damaturu, noting that the Potiskum facility had been completed while work was ongoing in Damaturu.
According to KACRAN, the trailer parks are expected to strengthen transportation and facilitate the movement of goods, while four sesame seed cleaning and packaging factories established in Nguru, Machina, Damaturu and Potiskum would support agricultural value addition and industrial development.
The association argued that investments in commercial infrastructure and agro-processing could expand economic opportunities, improve market access for farmers and traders, and create jobs for young people.
It, however, stressed that infrastructure alone would not be sufficient to achieve the desired economic transformation without access to affordable financing for businesses.
KACRAN therefore called on Tinubu to introduce special credit facilities for traders and entrepreneurs who had secured space in the new markets, arguing that access to working capital would enable them to expand their businesses, employ more people and strengthen economic activities along the commercial value chain.
The association said the proposed intervention could also help reduce the vulnerability of unemployed youths to criminal recruitment by providing more sustainable livelihood opportunities.
In making its case for a regional economic revival, KACRAN recalled what it described as Northern Nigeria’s historical reputation for peaceful coexistence, hospitality, commercial enterprise and trust-based business relationships.
It lamented that insecurity, the collapse of industries, ethno-religious divisions and political mistrust had undermined these traditions, while insurgency had disrupted farming, cattle rearing and fishing in several communities.
The association said the region needed to rebuild its economic foundations by investing in productive infrastructure, supporting private enterprise and creating opportunities for its growing youth population.
It traced its call for a new commercial development strategy to the economic and social changes that had taken place since the era of the late Premier of Northern Nigeria, Sir Ahmadu Bello, arguing that restoring the region’s prosperity required practical policies rather than nostalgia.
KACRAN particularly commended Buni for what it described as his commitment to reviving Yobe’s commercial sector despite the challenges posed by years of insurgency.
It also praised the state’s Commissioner for Commerce, Industry, Tourism and Solid Minerals, Hon. Kaigama Umar, alongside the ministry’s permanent secretary, directors, the management of Yobe State Investment Company and other officials involved in supervising the projects.
The association said the officials’ contributions had helped advance the state’s commercial infrastructure programme.
It maintained that replicating the Yobe model across Northern Nigeria, supported by affordable credit and effective implementation, could strengthen regional trade, expand employment and contribute to national economic growth.
“This revolution is not just for Yobe, it is for the North and for Nigeria,” the association declared.
