Katsina to expand women empowerment programme

By Rotimi Agbana

Katsina State Governor, Dikko Radda, has announced plans to expand the Nigeria for Women Programme Scale-Up to all 34 local government areas of the state, citing the project’s remarkable impact on the economic empowerment of women.

The governor said the decision followed the success recorded in the programme’s three pilot local government areas, where more than 57,000 women have formed savings groups, strengthened their businesses and collectively saved over N349m.

Radda disclosed this in a statement issued on Friday after interacting with beneficiaries of the Nigeria for Women Programme Scale-Up in Daura on Thursday.

The Nigeria for Women Programme Scale-Up is a World Bank-supported initiative implemented by the Federal Government in partnership with participating states to improve the livelihoods of women through access to savings groups, financial inclusion, enterprise support and other economic empowerment opportunities.

It is designed to reduce poverty and promote inclusive economic growth by strengthening women’s participation in productive activities.

The governor described women’s empowerment as a critical driver of economic growth and sustainable development.

“Empowering women is one of the most effective investments any society can make.

“When women have access to economic opportunities, families become more stable, children receive better care and education, and communities experience sustainable growth and development,” he said.

According to him, his visit provided an opportunity to assess the initiative’s impact on beneficiaries across the state.

“Yesterday in Daura, I had the privilege of interacting directly with the beneficiaries of the Nigeria for Women Program Scale-Up and witnessing firsthand the remarkable impact this initiative is making in the lives of thousands of women across Katsina State,” he said.

Highlighting the programme’s achievements, Radda said the beneficiaries had demonstrated discipline and commitment through organised savings and business support initiatives.

“What I saw was inspiring. Across Katsina, Daura and Funtua Local Government Areas, over 57,000 women have come together in affinity groups, embraced a culture of savings, strengthened their businesses and collectively saved more than N349m through their weekly contributions.”

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He added, “In Daura alone, about 19,000 women are actively participating in 765 affinity groups. Their commitment, discipline and determination have demonstrated that with the right support, our women can achieve extraordinary results and contribute significantly to the economic growth of our state.”

The governor said the success of the programme had reinforced his administration’s resolve to invest further in women’s economic empowerment.

“This success reinforces our belief that empowering women is not just a social responsibility but a strategic investment in the future of Katsina State. It is for this reason that our administration provided N4 billion as counterpart funding for the programme and remains committed to its successful implementation,” he said.

Radda announced that the state government would extend the initiative to all local government areas to enable more women to benefit from the intervention.

“Encouraged by the achievements recorded so far, we are determined to expand the programme beyond the three pilot Local Government Areas to all 34 Local Government Areas of the state, ensuring that more women have access to the opportunities and support they need to thrive,” he stated.

He also disclosed that the government was considering a similar intervention for men to strengthen household incomes and community development.

“The outstanding success of this initiative has also inspired us to begin exploring a similar framework aimed at supporting economic empowerment for men, so that together we can build stronger households, resilient communities and a more prosperous Katsina State,” the governor added.

Radda commended the beneficiaries, development partners and other stakeholders for contributing to the programme’s success.

“I commend the women beneficiaries for their dedication and resilience, and I appreciate our partners, facilitators and all stakeholders whose efforts continue to make this programme a success,” he said.

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