Katsina State Governor, Dikko Radda, has announced plans to extend the Nigeria for Women Programme Scale-Up (NFWP-SU) to all 34 local government areas of the state following the success recorded in its three pilot councils.
The governor made the announcement in a statement released on Friday after meeting with beneficiaries of the programme in Daura on Thursday.
The Nigeria for Women Programme Scale-Up is a World Bank-supported initiative implemented by the Federal Government in collaboration with participating states. The programme seeks to improve women’s livelihoods by promoting financial inclusion, access to savings groups, enterprise development and other economic empowerment opportunities. It also aims to reduce poverty and encourage inclusive economic growth by increasing women’s participation in productive economic activities.
According to Radda, the programme has positively transformed the lives of thousands of women in Katsina, Daura and Funtua local government areas, where more than 57,000 beneficiaries have organised themselves into savings groups, expanded their businesses and collectively saved over N349 million.
Describing women’s empowerment as a key pillar of economic development, the governor said investing in women delivers long-term benefits for families and communities.
“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.
Radda said his visit to Daura allowed him to personally evaluate the impact of the programme on participants across the state.
“Yesterday in Daura, I had the privilege of interacting directly with the beneficiaries of the Nigeria for Women Program Scale-Up (NFWP-SU) 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 programme’s achievements had strengthened his administration’s commitment to supporting women through sustained investment.
“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 further announced that the initiative would be expanded statewide to ensure more women benefit from its opportunities.
“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 revealed that the state government is considering introducing a similar empowerment programme for men to improve household incomes and strengthen communities.
“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 concluded by commending the women beneficiaries, development partners, facilitators and other stakeholders for their contributions to the success of the programme.
“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.