The Kogi State Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (Kogi AGILE) Project has started distributing preloaded Automated Teller Machine (ATM) cards to 12,112 adolescent girls under the second cohort of its Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) component. This initiative aims to support girls' education by providing financial assistance to eligible beneficiaries.
The distribution of ATM cards is taking place across the three senatorial districts of Kogi State to improve accessibility and reduce the burden of long-distance travel for the girls. Each beneficiary will receive N40,000, which will be paid into the account opened for them. This move is part of the project's efforts to ensure statewide coverage and facilitate access to financial channels.
According to the State Project Coordinator, Alhaji Ahmed Oricha, the distribution of ATM cards represents a critical stage in the implementation of the CCT intervention. He emphasized that the project is committed to ensuring eligible beneficiaries receive necessary support and urged beneficiaries and their parents or guardians to make responsible use of the intervention.
The CCT Lead, Kunle Mumini, provided more details about the second cohort, stating that it comprises 12,112 eligible girls. He explained that the exercise is organized across the three districts to improve accessibility, reduce long-distance travel burden, and ensure statewide coverage. Mumini encouraged beneficiaries and parents to cooperate with officials and follow all required procedures for proper documentation and accountability.
The second cohort of the CCT intervention builds on the first cohort, which targeted 13,359 adolescent girls in all transitioning classes across the state. The project aims to support girls at critical transition points in their education, particularly as they move from one level of schooling to another. This initiative underscores the project's broader focus on girls' access to and retention in education.
Beneficiaries and parents have expressed appreciation for the intervention, noting that it will encourage schoolgirls to remain focused on their education. A beneficiary, Miss Janet Adaji, and a parent, Mrs Jumai Adamu, commended AGILE for the gesture, describing it as an important intervention for families facing financial challenges associated with keeping their daughters in school.
The distribution of ATM cards is expected to continue across the three senatorial districts of Kogi State until all eligible beneficiaries are reached. The project has urged school principals, parents, community stakeholders, and other actors to support the successful implementation of the initiative by ensuring beneficiaries are properly guided and protected.
Key points
- The Kogi AGILE project has commenced distribution of N40,000 preloaded ATM cards to 12,112 adolescent girls under its Conditional Cash Transfer component.
- The initiative aims to support girls' education by providing financial assistance to eligible beneficiaries across the three senatorial districts of Kogi State.
- The project has targeted 12,112 eligible girls in the second cohort, building on the first cohort which targeted 13,359 adolescent girls in all transitioning classes across the state.
