The Made in Nagaland Centre was inaugurated by Nagaland Governor, Nand Kishore Yadav at YouthNet, 5th Mile, Chumoukedima on September 8, 2026.

Speaking on the occasion as the special guest, Governor Nand Kishore Yadav said the Centre represented an important step towards creating an ecosystem where Nagaland’s creativity, enterprise, traditional skills and cultural wealth could find markets and sustainable economic value. He said the State’s indigenous crafts, textiles, agricultural products, food traditions and artistic expressions could become sustainable sources of livelihood when supported with proper market access.

Appreciating the initiative of YouthNet, he said the Made in Nagaland initiative was conceived to bridge the gap between local producers and larger markets. He noted that the first one-stop Made in Nagaland platform was launched in 2018 with 81 entrepreneurs and had now grown to around 350 entrepreneurs and 600 products from across the districts of Nagaland.

The Governor said the initiative had particular significance for youth, women, MSMEs and rural communities, stressing the need to encourage young people not only to seek employment but also to become job creators. He said entrepreneurs needed skills, finance, mentoring, technology, branding, packaging, digital marketing, market intelligence and, importantly, access to markets.

He also stressed the importance of preserving Nagaland’s cultural heritage by ensuring that traditional skills and knowledge remained economically viable. He said Made in Nagaland had the potential to serve as a bridge between tradition and modernity, heritage and enterprise, and local production and wider markets.

Emphasising quality, the Governor said the label “Made in Nagaland” should become associated with authenticity, quality, innovation, sustainability and trust. He encouraged stakeholders to focus on quality control, standardisation, packaging, branding, product consistency, supply chains and digital commerce so that local products could compete in markets beyond the State.

The Governor observed that Chumoukedima, being an important gateway to Nagaland and close to Dimapur, was well placed to showcase the State’s entrepreneurial and creative potential. He said the Centre could serve not merely as a retail outlet but as a meeting point between producers and consumers, rural enterprises and urban markets, and traditional knowledge and contemporary design.

He called for greater collaboration among government departments, financial institutions, educational institutions, private enterprises, civil society and organisations such as YouthNet, and said the success of the initiative should ultimately be measured by the number of sustainable entrepreneurs, livelihoods created, women economically empowered, traditional skills preserved and local products reaching markets outside Nagaland.

The Governor expressed hope that “Made in Nagaland” would grow from a platform into a movement and become an engine of inclusive growth for the State, with local talent finding opportunities, local products reaching national and international markets, and local traditions securing a sustainable future.

Advisor, Industries and Commerce, Government of Nagaland, and Founder, YouthNet, Hekani Jakhalu, shared the journey behind the establishment of the Made in Nagaland Centre. She said YouthNet was established in 2006 with the objective of bringing about a change in the mindset of youth towards entrepreneurship and encouraging them to create employment opportunities rather than depending solely on government jobs.

She said the first Made in Nagaland Centre was launched in Kohima in 2018 and the Chumoukedima centre marked the third such initiative. She said the Made in Nagaland Centre was an initiative to showcase the strength and potential of young Naga entrepreneurs and stated that Nagaland had products of high quality and that efforts were being made to create the right ecosystem for local entrepreneurs to grow and succeed. Jakhalu highlighted the importance of basic infrastructure such as roads, power supply and other facilities in supporting entrepreneurship. She also said that access to finance was being facilitated through the RAMP (Raising and Accelerating MSME Performance) Scheme being currently implemented by the Department of Industries and Commerce.

She said efforts were also being made to support local entrepreneurs in branding and packaging and to provide the necessary assistance to enable their products to reach wider markets. She stated that strengthening the entrepreneurial ecosystem and empowering local businesses would contribute towards achieving the larger vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.

Advisor to the Chief Minister of Nagaland and Chairman, IDAN, Abu Metha, in his address, congratulated YouthNet for its commendable work in making a difference in the lives of people across Nagaland by creating employment opportunities for youth and providing local producers access to markets.

He said YouthNet had emerged as an ambassador of the ambitions and aspirations of the people and had been working closely with various government departments to create employment opportunities and to empower the youth.

Metha highlighted Nagaland’s contribution to the country in various fields, including national security, sports and traditional arts and crafts, stating that despite being a small State, Nagaland had made significant contributions to the development of the nation. He stated that The Nagaland Legislative Assembly had unanimously adopted a Government Resolution appealing to the Government of India to urgently review and withdraw the Protected Area Permit (PAP) regime in the State, with the objective of promoting tourism and strengthening the State’s creative economy.

He appreciated Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision for the development of the North East and said youth empowerment and initiatives such as the Made in Nagaland Centre were aligned with the goal of building a developed Nagaland.

Earlier, Director & Chief Functionary, YouthNet, Nuneseno Chase, delivered the welcome address. Following the programme, the Governor toured the Made in Nagaland Centre and the Training Institute and took an overview of the facilities and activities of the Centre.

The programme was attended by Advisor, Urban Development & Municipal Affairs, Zhaleo Rio; Advisor, Social Welfare, Wangpang Konyak; MLA, Benei M. Lamthiu; officials from the District Administration, YouthNet members, entrepreneurs and other dignitaries.

The Made in Nagaland Centre, established by YouthNet, aims to provide a dedicated platform for locally made products and support entrepreneurs in expanding their reach and market opportunities.

(Samuel, IA Chumoukedima)