Vice President Kashim Shettima on Sunday flagged off the disbursement of the Community Investment Fund (CIF) under the Nigeria for Women Programme Scale-Up (NFWP-SU) in Katsina State, with more than 40,000 women set to benefit from business capital aimed at expanding enterprises, increasing household incomes and strengthening economic resilience.

Speaking during the flag-off ceremony at the Muhammadu Dikko Stadium, Katsina, the Vice President described the Intervention as a strategic investment in the enterprise, productivity and economic potential of women, stressing that empowering women remains critical to Nigeria’s economic growth and poverty reduction efforts.

He said the beneficiaries had fulfilled the programme’s eligibility requirements through disciplined savings and active participation in Women Affinity Groups.

“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,” Shettima stated.

The Vice President commended Governor Dikko Radda for placing women and vulnerable households at the centre of his administration’s development agenda, noting that inclusive governance is reflected in policies that create economic opportunities for those with limited access to finance.

He urged beneficiaries to invest the grants wisely, maintain proper financial records, sustain their culture of savings and uphold the collective responsibility that qualified them for the intervention. He also charged programme managers to ensure transparency, fairness and accountability throughout the disbursement process.

On his part, Radda described women’s economic empowerment as a key pillar of his administration’s Building Your Future Agenda, emphasising that investing in women translates into stronger families, more prosperous communities and a healthier state economy.

The governor said Katsina demonstrated exceptional commitment to the World Bank-supported programme by providing matching counterpart funding, enabling its expansion from the initial six Local Government Areas to all 34 LGAs across the state.

Radda explained that the Community Investment Fund would provide additional capital to complement women’s savings, helping beneficiaries establish new businesses, expand existing enterprises and strengthen productive economic activities.

He assured eligible Women Affinity Groups yet to receive their grants that the disbursement would continue in phases.

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

Radda appealed to the World Bank and other development partners to provide additional financial and technical support to expand the programme’s reach, particularly to women in underserved communities.

He also highlighted the inclusion of women with hearing impairment who have formed their own Women Affinity Groups, describing it as evidence of the government’s commitment to ensuring that disability does not limit access to economic opportunities.

The governor further disclosed plans to explore sustainable economic empowerment programmes for men, noting that strengthening both women and men would contribute to stronger families, poverty reduction and community resilience.

World Bank representative Matthew Verghis described investment in women as an investment in Nigeria’s economic future, citing estimates that closing gender gaps in agriculture, self-employment and wage employment could add about 22.9 billion dollars, equivalent to 5.8 per cent of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Verghis said the 540-million-dollar Nigeria for Women Programme Scale-Up is currently being implemented across 32 states, targeting five million women directly, while supporting the creation of an estimated 4.5 million jobs.

He disclosed that women participating in the programme had already mobilised over ₦20 billion in savings, describing the achievement as clear evidence of financial discipline, trust and collective action.

The World Bank official particularly praised the Katsina State Government for matching every dollar invested in the programme with its own resources, a commitment that enabled the project’s expansion to all 34 Local Government Areas.

He urged banks, financial institutions and private sector organisations to see Women Affinity Groups as viable business partners capable of driving sustainable economic growth.

Earlier, the Commissioner for Women Affairs, Aisha Malumfashi, said the programme had recorded remarkable progress in Katsina, with over 2,393 Women Affinity Groups established across Katsina and Daura Local Government Areas, while Funtua also recorded significant growth.

According to her, the groups have collectively mobilised more than ₦310 million in savings, reflecting increasing financial discipline, cooperation and economic self-reliance among women.

She urged beneficiaries to utilise the funds responsibly to expand their businesses and improve the welfare of their families and communities.

Following the ceremony, Vice President Shettima commissioned three major road projects executed by the Katsina State Government, including the dualised Kofar Sauri–Central Mosque Roundabout Road, Central Police Station Junction–Kofar Kaura Underpass Road, and the newly constructed Filin Polo–Ring Road.

He also inaugurated 30 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) hybrid buses and 200 Phase I electric tricycles, aimed at improving mass transportation and promoting cleaner energy solutions in the state. (Channels TV)

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