“Not Just Sharing Money, But Building Capability” — Shettima, Gov Radda Flag Off N8bn Fund For 40,000 Katsina Women

More than 40,000 women in Katsina State are expected to benefit from the Community Investment Fund under the Nigeria for Women Programme Scale-Up Project, as the state government formally commenced the disbursement of funds to eligible Women Affinity Groups.

Speaking at the official flag-off ceremony in Katsina on Sunday, October 4, 2026, Vice President Kashim Shettima said the initiative was designed not merely to distribute money but to strengthen women’s economic capacity, improve household incomes and promote financial inclusion at the grassroots.

Shettima said the beneficiaries had demonstrated discipline through savings and group activities, describing the CIF as an investment in their productive capacity.

He said, “The Community Investment Fund under the Nigeria for Women Programme Scale-Up Project addresses that question with an investment in capability. Over 40,000 women in Katsina State stand to receive business capital, having fulfilled the prescribed eligibility conditions and demonstrated satisfactory performance in their savings and group activities”.

The Vice President stated that the success of the programme should not be measured only by the number of women who receive funds, but by whether the intervention strengthens businesses, increases household earnings, creates employment and improves women’s ability to withstand economic shocks.

“The programme’s model of linking finance with savings, training, financial literacy and productive resources is critical to ensuring that beneficiaries are able to manage and grow their businesses sustainably.”

“A woman should understand the terms on which she borrows, distinguish revenue from profit, and possess the confidence to question a transaction. Financial participation loses much of its value without informed judgment,” Shettima said.

He 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.

The VP 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.

“Eligibility must remain the basis of access without favoritism or political interference. A beneficiary should understand what she receives and how the process works. Each transaction should be properly documented and questions should receive prompt answers,” he said.

He therefore commended the Katsina State Government for advancing the programme and acknowledged the support of the World Bank, while urging implementing agencies to sustain monitoring beyond the disbursement ceremony.

Earlier, Katsina State Governor, Dikko Radda, said the state government had committed more than N4bn to the Nigeria for Women Programme Scale-Up Project and had approved another N4bn to expand its coverage.

Radda said Katsina was matching every dollar provided by the World Bank for the programme, describing the investment as part of his administration’s strategy to strengthen women’s livelihoods and promote inclusive economic development.

“It is on this note that Katsina State is matching every dollar that is given by the World Bank to support the women in the state. So far, Katsina State has contributed over four billion Naira for this project and approval last month of another four billion was done by the Executive Council of the state,” the governor said.

He explained that the programme initially commenced in Katsina, Funtua and Daura local government areas, but the state government had expanded it to an additional six local governments, with plans to eventually cover all 34 local government areas.

Radda, however, clarified that the flag-off represented the beginning rather than the completion of the disbursement process.

“Today’s flag-off marks the commencement of the disbursement process. It is not the conclusion of the process,” he said.

He 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 programme 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.

“Access to finance must be accompanied by the knowledge, skills, market opportunities and institutional support required to sustain economic growth,” Radda noted.

The governor also highlighted the participation of women with hearing impairment who had organised themselves into a Women Affinity Group and participated in collective savings and other programme 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 programme to all 34 local government areas.

For the beneficiaries, the intervention therefore 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.