Vice President Kashim Shettima has inaugurated a state-of-the-art banquet hall in Kaduna, hailing the project as a symbol of purposeful leadership and a deliberate effort to strengthen public institutions.
Speaking at the unveiling ceremony, Shettima said the Federal Government would continue to stand firmly with Kaduna State, noting its strategic weight in Nigeria’s political, economic and security architecture. He described the state as central to the “anatomy of the nation,” stressing that its fortunes inevitably affect the wider federation.
“We have returned to Kaduna time and again bearing projects, policies and promises renewed by action, because we understand the place this great state occupies,” he said, adding that the “heartbeat of Nigeria cannot be ignored without the whole body feeling the impact.”
The Vice President praised Governor Uba Sani for pairing visible infrastructure with reforms aimed at deepening institutional capacity. According to him, sustainable development depends not only on roads and buildings, but on systems that guarantee efficiency, accountability and better service delivery.
Shettima said the new banquet hall would serve as a venue for high-level policy dialogues, diplomatic engagements and ceremonial events, helping to close infrastructural gaps that have long constrained governance activities in the state. He expressed confidence that the facility would position Kaduna as a preferred host for regional and international conferences, exhibitions and cultural gatherings, with attendant benefits for local businesses and tourism.
Governor Sani described the project as a strategic investment in governance rather than a mere architectural showpiece. Sitting on 2.7 hectares with a built-up area of about 5,000 square metres, the hall can host 1,000 guests in banquet style and 1,300 in theatre configuration.
He said the complex was conceived to attract global partnerships and support his administration’s ambition to make Kaduna a hub for investment, culture and international engagement. The facility is named after a former military administrator of the state, a gesture Sani said was meant to honour disciplined and value-driven leadership.
Former Governor Ahmed Makarfi commended the speed and quality of execution, describing the hall as a significant milestone. Former Vice President Namadi Sambo also lauded the project, calling it a strategic investment in the modernisation of Kaduna and a boost to the state’s institutional profile.
The new banquet hall comes as Kaduna continues to grapple with security challenges even as it seeks to leverage its industrial and agricultural potential to attract long-term investment.
