In this article, platinumtimes.ng chronicles the biography, career, education, family, life story of Dikko Umar Radda.
Dikko Umar Radda is the current Governor of Katsina State since 2023.
He is an economist and has served as the director-general of the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN).
Profile Summary
Name: Dikko Umaru Radda
Born: 10 September 1969
Place of birth: Katsina, Nigeria
Marital status: Married
Religion: Islam
Education: Ahmadu Bello University
Career: Economist, Politician
Political party: All Progressives Congress
Early life
Dikko Radda is a Fulani from Dutsin-Ma LGA of Katsina State. He was born on 10 September 1969 in Hayin Gada Town.
Education
Radda started his basic education at Radda Primary School from 1974 to 1980. He went to Zaria Teachers College between 1980 and 1985.
He obtained an NCE Certificate from Kafanchan College of Education between 1986 to 1990.
He further went to Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi from 1992 to 1996 and bagged a degree in Agric. Economics and Extension.
From 1998 to 2004, he obtained an MSC in Agric. Extension and Rural Sociology from the Ahmadu Bello University and in 2005, he had another Master’s in International affairs and Diplomacy from the same institution.
In 2015, he bagged a Doctorate in Agricrulture and Rural Sociology.
Career
He was a classroom teacher from 1989-1999. He worked as a Banker with the defunct FSB International Bank between 1999-2003.
Political career
In 2003, he was named chairman of caretaker committee in Charanchi LGA and subsequently chairman of Charanchi LGA in 2005.
In 2013, he was the APC National Welfare Secretary after which he was appointed Chief of Staff to the Executive Governor of Katsina State, Rt Hon Aminu Bello Masari in 2015.
Dr. Dikko Umar Radda was appointed DG SMEDAN on 14th March 2016 for a five-year term in the first instance.
With the experiences he gathered in the public and private sectors of the economy, he developed strategies for boosting micro small and medium scale enterprises (MSME) in the country.
Dr. Dikko Radda, in April 2023, resigned as the Director-General, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), to contest for the governorship primary election in Katsina State.
He won in the All Progressive Congress primary elections that held in the state and also defeated his closest rival during the general elections that held in the state on March 18th, 2023 emerging as the Governor of the State.
Personal life
Dikko Radda has been actively involved in many philantropic deeds including establishing Gwagware Foundation in 2016 with the sole purpose of provision of basic amenities for the less privileged and funding and training youths in different enterpreneural skills.
He is married and has children.
Recognitions
Distinguished Leadership Award by the Nigeria Civil Service Union (NCSU), 2019.
The REVENUE Magazine Public Sector Excellence Award, 2022.
Dikko Umar Radda was honoured with the chieftaincy title of Gwagwaren Katsina, by the late Emir of Katsina, Dr. Muhammad Kabir Usman Nagogo in July, 2007.