Shettima says Tinubu sees Katsina as his “second home” as FG launches N250,000 grants for MSMEs

Vice President Kashim Shettima has described Katsina State as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s “second home after Lagos,” a statement that has sparked a mix of applause and skepticism across social media.

The Vice President made the remark during the launch of Nigeria’s 9th Expanded National MSME Clinic held in Katsina on October 21, 2025. In a three-minute video circulating online, Shettima highlighted the long-standing political and historical ties between Tinubu and the northern region, tracing them to alliances with late President Shehu Shagari and former President Muhammadu Buhari.

“President Tinubu holds Katsina dear. After Lagos, this is his second home,” Shettima said, addressing a crowd of entrepreneurs, state officials, and traditional leaders. “Our bond with Katsina is one built on shared struggles, mutual respect, and political brotherhood.”

The event, organized by the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, focused on supporting Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). Shettima announced that 1,000 selected exhibitors from across the North-West region would each receive a federal grant of ₦250,000 to expand their businesses — part of a broader push to stimulate local productivity and job creation.

However, the Vice President’s warm remarks about Tinubu’s connection to Katsina quickly drew mixed reactions online. While supporters hailed it as a symbol of unity between the South-West and North-West political blocs, critics saw it as tone-deaf amid Katsina’s worsening insecurity crisis.

“Calling Katsina Tinubu’s second home is fine, but what about the bandit attacks happening almost weekly? People want security, not sentiment,” one user wrote under the viral clip, echoing a sentiment shared by many in the comment section.

Katsina, the home state of former President Buhari, remains one of the regions most affected by banditry, with recent attacks in Faskari and Safana local government areas displacing hundreds of residents. Despite multiple federal interventions, including military operations and community policing initiatives, many locals say they feel little relief.

Analysts say Shettima’s statement, though symbolic, reflects the Tinubu administration’s ongoing effort to reinforce its northern political base ahead of upcoming elections. The MSME initiative, they note, could serve as both an economic intervention and a strategic political move in a region where loyalty has historically been shaped by tangible benefits.

For now, the ₦250,000 grants have brought a flicker of hope to small business owners in Katsina — tailors, traders, and artisans who say even modest support can make a significant difference. But as one participant told Busterblog.com, “What we really want is peace. Business cannot grow where fear rules.”

The Katsina event may have been designed to celebrate enterprise and unity, but the reactions it sparked underline a deeper truth — in today’s Nigeria, symbolic gestures mean little if they don’t come with real security and sustained prosperity.

Watch the video below

— Busterblog.com