More than 40,000 women in Katsina State are set to benefit from business capital aimed at expanding their enterprises and strengthening their economic resilience.
The Vice President of Nigeria, Senator Kashim Shettima, flagged off the disbursement of the Community Investment Fund (CIF) under the Nigeria for Women Programme Scale-Up (NFWP-SU) at the Muhammadu Dikko Stadium in Katsina on Sunday. He described the initiative as an investment in women’s skills, enterprises and economic opportunities.
Shettima said over 40,000 women would receive business capital after meeting the eligibility requirements and demonstrating commitment to savings and group activities. He commended Governor Dikko Umar Radda for prioritising women and vulnerable households, stressing that the success of the programme should be measured by stronger businesses, improved household incomes, increased employment opportunities and greater economic decision-making power for women.
The Vice-President also urged beneficiaries to maintain the savings culture, proper record-keeping and collective responsibility that qualified them for the intervention. He called on those administering the fund to ensure transparency, fairness, proper documentation and accountability throughout the disbursement process.
Speaking at the event, Governor Radda said women’s economic empowerment remained a key component of his administration’s Building Your Future Agenda. He said Katsina State had provided matching resources to complement the World Bank’s investment, helping to expand the programme from six Local Government Areas to all 34 LGAs in the state. He added that the fund would support Women Affinity Groups in establishing new businesses and expanding existing enterprises.
The Governor stressed that the flag-off marked the beginning, rather than the conclusion, of the disbursement process, assuring groups that did not receive funds at the launch that the programme would continue in phases. He also called on the World Bank and other development partners to provide additional financial and technical support to reach more women, particularly those in underserved communities. He noted that the programme also includes women with hearing impairment who have established their own Women Affinity Groups.
The World Bank representative, Matthew Verghis, said investing in women contributes to Nigeria’s economic growth. He said the $540 million NFWP-SU is being implemented in 32 states and targets five million women directly. He added that participating women had already saved more than ₦20 billion. Meanwhile, the Katsina State Commissioner for Women Affairs, Hajiya Aisha Aminu Malumfashi, said more than 2,393 Women Affinity Groups had been formed in Katsina and Daura, with more than ₦310 million mobilised in savings. She urged beneficiaries to use the funds responsibly to grow their businesses and improve the welfare of their families and communities.
