The governor also unveiled plans to introduce a complementary ‘Nigeria for Men’ Initiative aimed at promoting youth empowerment, entrepreneurship, economic self-reliance and community development.
Governor Radda made this known while receiving a delegation from the World Bank, the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, and the Nigeria for Women Project at the Katsina State Governor’s Lodge, Abuja.
The governor disclosed that the Katsina State Government had already committed ₦4 billion as counterpart funding, stressing that women’s economic empowerment remains a key strategy for reducing poverty, improving household incomes, strengthening community resilience and addressing insecurity.
He expressed concern over the slow pace of implementation despite the state fulfilling its obligations.
“I was concerned about the slow pace of implementation because Katsina fulfilled its counterpart funding obligation since last year. We invested in this programme because we believe it will uplift families across the state,” he said.
Governor Radda reiterated his administration’s resolve to expand the project beyond the initial three benefiting local Government Areas to all 34 LGAs, noting that wider coverage would significantly improve living standards and security.
He observed that the state’s security challenges, which have displaced many families and left women vulnerable, make the project critical for rebuilding livelihoods and restoring dignity.
The governor commended participating women for embracing the Affinity Group model, revealing that they had mobilised about ₦192 million in savings before receiving external support.
“The most impressive aspect is that beneficiaries first help themselves. Their commitment to savings, discipline and self-reliance is the foundation of sustainable development,” he added.
Governor Radda further disclosed that the success of the women’s groups had inspired similar initiatives among men, leading to plans for a state-funded ‘Nigeria for Men’ programme to promote discipline, entrepreneurship and collective responsibility among young people.
“If we can successfully organise our young people around these values, Katsina will witness significant socio-economic transformation within the next five years,” he said.
He added that beyond economic benefits, the programme is improving education, nutrition, healthcare, family welfare and social cohesion across communities.
While expressing satisfaction with the project’s design and early achievements, the governor called for faster implementation to ensure beneficiaries begin to enjoy its full benefits.
Earlier, the Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Suleiman, commended Governor Radda’s leadership, describing Katsina as a national model for implementing the Nigeria for Women Project.
She disclosed that implementation challenges had been resolved and announced that between $6 million and $8 million would be front-loaded to Katsina to support expansion across the state.
The minister also revealed plans to pursue an additional $1.5 billion in financing for the programme nationwide, noting its strong social and economic impact.
She assured the state of continued technical support from the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and development partners, adding that Katsina could soon serve as a learning centre for other states.
According to her, the programme targets 10 million Nigerian women, with about 4.5 million already benefiting.
Also speaking, the Katsina State Commissioner for Women Affairs, Aisha Malumfashi, said the project has strengthened discipline, accountability, financial inclusion and self-reliance among women.
She explained that beneficiaries undergo group formation, savings mobilisation and institutional strengthening before accessing the Community Investment Fund (CIF), expressing optimism that the first set of beneficiaries would qualify by October.
In his remarks, the World Bank Task Team Leader for the Nigeria for Women Project, Mr. Micheal Ilesanmi, who was part of the Minister’s delegation, described Katsina as one of the leading states in programme implementation.
He attributed the success recorded so far to Governor Radda’s strong leadership and commitment, and confirmed that the World Bank would front-load between $6 million and $8 million this year to accelerate implementation.
He added that efforts are ongoing to secure an additional $1.5 billion to expand the programme nationwide, while assuring the state of continued technical support.