The Federal Government has been urged to give more attention to promoting global trade beyond oil and gas to speed up the nation’s developmental efforts.

Katsina State Governor, Dr. Dikko Radda, who gave the advice, yesterday, during the 15th meeting of the National Council on Industry, Trade and Investment in the state with theme, “Digitalisation of Industry, Trade and Investment Sector for National Development,” said government should promote global trade by giving attention to export of agro-allied products and mineral resources.

The meeting, which is a five-day event, was organised by the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment in collaboration with the Katsina State Government, with Industrial Training Fund’s (ITF) DG/CEO, Dr. Afiz Oluwatoyin Ogun in attendance.

The governor, who lamented the number of industries in the country without manufacturing output, also called for efforts to link theory into practical policies in the sector that would bring Nigerians out of poverty.

He said the state had made headway in promoting trade and investment with a N700 million revolving Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) funds, and that there were plans to make it N1 billion by next year.

Radda also reiterated the state’s readiness to partner with the Federal Government to develop industries and promote trade and investment in the state.

On her part, Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Dr. Evelyn Ngige, said the meeting was aimed at “providing a platform for stakeholders to deliberate on key issues in the sector and evolve strategies, including policies and programmes, that would strengthen the state’s performance for employment generation, wealth creation and economic development for national growth and prosperity.”

Ngige, therefore, urged participants to evolve ways and means to address the current economic challenges, as the strengthening and rebirth of the sector was key and answer to the current economic crisis in the country.