The Nigeria for Women Programme Scale-Up Project has been launched in Katsina State, with over 40,000 women set to benefit from the Community Investment Fund. Vice President Kashim Shettima, who spoke at the official flag-off ceremony in Katsina, stated that the initiative aims to strengthen women's economic capacity, improve household incomes, and promote financial inclusion at the grassroots. The program is designed to provide business capital to eligible Women Affinity Groups that have demonstrated discipline through savings and group activities.
According to Vice President Shettima, the Community Investment Fund is an investment in the productive capacity of the women, and its success should not be measured only by the number of women who receive funds. Rather, it should be evaluated based on whether the intervention strengthens businesses, increases household earnings, creates employment, and improves women's ability to withstand economic shocks. The program's model links finance with savings, training, financial literacy, and productive resources to ensure that beneficiaries can manage and grow their businesses sustainably.
Vice President Shettima urged the beneficiaries to sustain the discipline that qualified them for the intervention, particularly by keeping proper records, making careful purchases, and preserving trust within their groups. He also stressed the need for transparency in the administration of the funds, warning that eligibility rather than political influence must determine access to the intervention. The Vice President commended the Katsina State Government for advancing the program and acknowledged the support of the World Bank.
Katsina State Governor, Mallam Dikko Radda, said the state government had committed more than N4bn to the project and had approved another N4bn to expand its coverage. The governor explained that the program initially commenced in Katsina, Funtua, and Daura local government areas but has been expanded to an additional six local government areas, with plans to eventually cover all 34 local government areas. Radda clarified that the flag-off represented the beginning rather than the completion of the disbursement process.
Governor Radda urged Women Affinity Groups that were not among the initial beneficiaries to remain patient, assuring them that eligible groups would be considered as they met the established program requirements. The governor said the intervention was intended to provide women with access to finance, collective savings, business support, and productive economic activities capable of improving household welfare. He also announced plans to strengthen livelihood collectives that would enable women to participate in profitable value chains, increase productivity, and access larger markets.
The governor highlighted the participation of women with hearing impairment who had organized themselves into a Women Affinity Group and participated in collective savings and other program activities. He used the event to appeal to the World Bank and other development partners for additional financing and technical support to enable Katsina to expand the program to all 34 local government areas. Radda said the demand for the intervention remained high, particularly among women in underserved communities and those facing additional barriers to economic participation.
For the beneficiaries, the intervention represents more than access to capital; it is an opportunity to transform small-scale enterprises into sustainable businesses, improve household income, and create economic opportunities within their communities. The program aims to address the needs of women in Katsina State, and its success will depend on the effective implementation and monitoring of the initiative. The Vice President and the governor emphasized the importance of transparency, accountability, and sustainability in the administration of the funds.
Key points
- Over 40,000 women in Katsina State will benefit from the Community Investment Fund under the Nigeria for Women Programme Scale-Up Project.
- The Katsina State Government has committed more than N4bn to the project and has approved another N4bn to expand its coverage.
- The program aims to strengthen women's economic capacity, improve household incomes, and promote financial inclusion at the grassroots.
