Dr. Dikko Umaru Radda: Director General SMEDAN
Dr. Dikko Umaru Radda is a distinguished Abusite, an astute politician, entrepreneur, teacher, and banker with wide administrative experience. He is the Director-General/Chief Executive Officer of the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN).
Dr. Dikko Umaru Radda was born on 10th September 1969 in Hayingada-Dutsinma Local Government, Katsina State North-West Nigeria.
He started his early educational pursuit at Radda Primary School from 1974-1980. He proceeded to Zaria Teachers College between 1980-1985 for his Grade Two Certificate.
Dr. Radda later gained admission into the College of Education, Kafanchan in 1986 and obtained the National Certificate of Education (NCE) in 1989. He enrolled in Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi in 1992 and graduated with a B-Tech.Agric Economics and Extension (Hons) in 1996.
Thereafter he gained admission into Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria In 1998, and obtained MSC Agric Extension and Rural Sociology in 2004. Dr. Radda’s insatiable desire to broaden his horizon motivated him to return to ABU Zaria in 2005 for a Masters in International Affairs and Diplomacy and later capped it with a Ph.D. in Agricultural Extension and Rural Sociology from the same University in 2015.
The Director General/Chief Executive Officer possesses extensive working experience. He was a class room teacher between 1989-1999. He worked as a Banker with the defunct FSB International Bank between 1999-2003. He was Executive Chairman Charanchi Local Government Area of Katsina state between Jan 2005 and April 2007.
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He was reappointed Caretaker Committee Chairman, Charanchi LGA, Katsina State in May 2007. Other appointments he has held are; Senior Legislative Aide, NASS, Abuja, 2012-2014, National Welfare Secretary (APC), June 2014- July 2015.
He holds the traditional title of Gwagwaren Katsina in the historic Katsina Emirate Council. He has presented several academic papers in both local and international conferences and workshops.
Dr. Dikko Umaru Radda was until his present appointment in march 2016, the Chief of Staff to the Katsina State Governor. He is a recipient of several awards and certificates from both local and international organizations. A widely traveled man and he is married with children.
Dr. Dikko Umaru Radda’s Successes at SMEDAN
The agency under Dr. Radda has implemented several programs in the area of providing access to finance for MSMEs. Some of the programs include the Conditional Grant Scheme (CGS) for micro-enterprises in Nigeria and the One Local Government, One Product program, (OLOP).
These programs, amongst other things, are targeted at providing access to finance, workspace, capacity building, working capital, equipment, micro insurance, formalization, and business development service to MSMEs.
He was honored in 2019 by the Nigeria Civil Service Union (NCSU), for the implementation of the Conditional Grant Scheme for micro-entrepreneurs in Nigeria – a program in which over 20,000 entrepreneurs have received N50,000 each – and the implementation of the One Local Government One Product initiative, where over 25,000 entrepreneurs under various cooperatives have benefitted, as well as his effort in improving the welfare of staff of the agency.
