The Katsina State Executive Council has approved the procurement of 20,000 metric tonnes of fertiliser for the 2026 wet season farming, alongside a raft of policy decisions covering digital governance, healthcare delivery, farm mechanisation and fiscal management.
The approvals were taken at the council’s second regular meeting for 2026, held at the Government House, Katsina, and presided over by Governor Dikko Umaru Radda.
Briefing journalists after the meeting, the Commissioner for Information and Culture, Bala Salisu Zango, said the decisions reflected the administration’s commitment to delivering tangible development outcomes under its “Building Your Future” agenda.
According to the Commissioner for Agriculture, Aliyu Lawal Shargalle, the council approved the purchase of 400,000 bags of assorted NPK 20:10:10, NPK 15:15:15 and urea fertilisers to support farmers across the state.
He said the fertiliser would be made available at subsidised rates to ensure timely access to quality inputs, boost agricultural productivity and strengthen food security, particularly in rural communities.
On farm mechanisation, Shargalle disclosed that the council reviewed the operational strategy of farm mechanisation centres in the state’s 34 local government areas, noting that existing tractors had already cultivated more than 7,000 hectares for over 8,000 farmers.
“The council approved measures to improve security of the equipment and expand access to farmers at more affordable rates,” he said.
In the area of digital governance, the Director-General of the Katsina State Directorate of Information and Communication Technology (KATDICT), Naufal Ahmed, said the council adopted the iKatsina Framework as the state’s foundational digital public infrastructure.
He explained that the iKatsina Digital Resident Identification System would provide a unified platform for residents to access government services across ministries, departments and agencies, while promoting transparency, efficiency and data-driven decision-making.
The council also considered the 2025 Budget Performance Report presented by the Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Malik Anas, who said the revised 2025 budget of ₦692.24 billion recorded an overall revenue performance of 81.66 per cent.
According to him, ₦565.28 billion was realised, with recurrent revenue achieving 72.8 per cent and capital receipts reaching 85.99 per cent, which he attributed to improved fiscal discipline and growing investor confidence.
On expenditure, Anas said ₦482.21 billion, representing 69.69 per cent of the budget, was expended, adding that capital expenditure alone exceeded ₦343.53 billion, underscoring the administration’s focus on infrastructure development.
He added that the ministry would convene a separate press briefing to present a detailed analysis of the 2025 budget performance and outline priorities for the 2026 fiscal year.
In the health sector, the Special Adviser on Local Government and Inspectorate, Lawal Rufai Safana, said the council approved a strategic plan to strengthen primary healthcare delivery across the state.
He said the plan includes the recruitment of additional healthcare workers and traditional birth attendants to ensure round-the-clock services in at least one primary healthcare centre in each of the state’s 361 wards.
Safana also disclosed that the government would procure tricycles to support emergency referrals in rural areas and install solar inverter systems in all 229 primary healthcare centres to ensure uninterrupted power supply.
“These interventions will significantly improve access to quality healthcare, especially for women, children and other vulnerable groups in hard-to-reach communities,” he said.
The council reaffirmed that the decisions align with Governor Radda’s priorities on inclusive development, food security, digital transformation and improved social services across Katsina State.
