By Dada Ahmed.
(Picture)L-R: Engr. Adams Adeiza Jatto, Vice Chairman, CAREC & Alhaji Muhammed Kadiri Okeji, KEDA’s MD & CEO.
In a modest but symbolic event in Lokoja, the heartbeat of Kogi State, a single sheet of paper was signed, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) that carries the weight of dreams, promises, and economic transformation. The occasion, the partnership between Kogi Enterprise Development Agency (KEDA) and the Combined Agricultural and Renewable Energy Company Limited (CAREC), might appear bureaucratic on the surface, but underneath lies a blueprint for Kogi’s social and economic revival.
The MoU is not just a formality; it is a binding handshake of shared vision. At its core is a strategic alliance to drive the growth of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), often described as the backbone of any thriving economy. For Kogi, it’s an opportunity to incubate innovation and create industries powered by its own people.
For decades, Nigeria’s challenge has not been a lack of ideas or resources, but rather the failure to institutionalize commitment. This MoU offers a break from that cycle. It signals a mutual readiness, public and private,to work collaboratively towards real impact, particularly for women, youths, and informal entrepreneurs who have long been sidelined.
Under the agreement, incubation centers will be set up to nurture startups in various sectors: from assembling solar-powered devices and digital electronics to value-chain agro-processing like cassava-to-garri conversion, rice milling, and cashew nut transformation. These are not pipe dreams. They are viable enterprises with the potential to change livelihoods.
At the signing event, Alhaji Muhammed Kadiri Okeji, KEDA’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, underscored the importance of partnerships in development. “Government cannot do it alone,” he said, noting that strategic alliances with the private sector are essential for sustainable growth.
According to Joseph Adama, KEDA’s Information Officer, Okeji stressed that this MoU represents a commitment to vigorously pursue economic development by “leaving no stone unturned.” The emphasis is not just on signing documents but on delivering results that bring smiles to Kogi’s people.
Indeed, the MoU is not merely ink on paper. It is a shared pledge to foster local industries that can stand the test of time. Engr. Jatto A. Adams, Vice Chairman of CAREC, echoed this sentiment via Zoom, commending the state government’s vision and describing the agreement as a pathway to industrialization and job creation.
Mallam Yakubu Lawal, a CAREC director who signed on behalf of the company, emphasized swift implementation. “We are not outsiders. We are stakeholders in this dream. We will work hand-in-hand with KEDA to realize this,” he assured.
The symbolism of partnership was evident in the presence of both parties. From KEDA’s top brass, including Executive Directors;Usman Zubair, Akin Akinola, and Daniel Arome,to CAREC’s project engineers and IT strategists, the event reflected a multi-sectoral alignment.
What makes this MoU particularly important is not just its focus on economic development, but its deliberate inclusion of marginalized groups, women cooperatives, rural youths, and small-scale innovators. In an economy where access to capital, training, and market infrastructure remains a bottleneck, this partnership could become a model for inclusive growth.
Incubation centers are not just physical spaces. They are hubs of hope. They nurture ideas from mere thoughts into tangible businesses. For Kogi’s aspiring entrepreneurs, especially in energy, IT, and agribusiness, the centers promise an environment where they can learn, build, and flourish.
In a broader sense, this collaboration symbolizes the importance of MoUs in governance and development. When properly structured and faithfully implemented, MoUs can be powerful tools to unlock potential, channel investments, and foster accountability highly needed in Kogi state.
The optimism is that, the MoU between KEDA and CARES represents a moment of possibility,it goes beyond a document, it is a turning point. If executed with sincerity and supported with political will, it could mark the beginning of a new economic narrative, driven by enterprise, innovation, and shared purpose.
As the dust settles in the signing room, expectations rise across Kogi’s towns and communities. Behind every paragraph of the MoU lies a family hoping for a better future, a youth dreaming of self-reliance, and a woman eager to lead a cooperative. The future may not arrive overnight, but with this sincere partnership, the MoU must have taken its first bold step.
Ahmed, journalist, publishes The Reporters.
