Community Investment Fund disbursement under the Nigeria for Women Programme

Assalamu Alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh.

It is my honour and pleasure to welcome you all to Katsina State for the official flag-off of the Community Investment Fund (CIF) disbursement under the Nigeria for Women Programme Scale-Up Project. This occasion represents another important milestone in our collective efforts to promote women's economic empowerment, strengthen household livelihoods and advance inclusive development across our State.

Let me begin by expressing our profound appreciation to His Excellency, the Vice-President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, for honouring this occasion and for his continued support for programmes that promote inclusive economic growth and the empowerment of women.

I equally extend a warm welcome to Her Excellency, the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, whose advocacy for women's welfare, social inclusion and economic empowerment continues to inspire efforts towards improving the lives of women and families across the country.

I am delighted to welcome our distinguished Governors and other eminent leaders from the North-West geopolitical zone, the Honourable Ministers, and all other dignitaries who have honoured our invitation. Your presence demonstrates the importance attached to women's empowerment and the advancement of sustainable development in our communities.

I warmly welcome the Country Director and the distinguished delegation of the World Bank, particularly the Nigeria for Women Programme Scale-Up Task Team. We deeply appreciate the World Bank's partnership and continued support for initiatives that create economic opportunities for women and strengthen communities.

I also acknowledge with gratitude our development partners, including representatives of UNDP, UN Women and the Gates Foundation, as well as other institutions and stakeholders whose contributions continue to support our development priorities.

My appreciation equally goes to our national and state leaders, officials of the All Progressives Congress, traditional rulers, community leaders, programme implementers and all distinguished guests who have joined us for this important occasion.

Most importantly, I warmly welcome the women of Katsina State, particularly the members of the Women Affinity Groups who are the principal beneficiaries of this programme. Today is about your aspirations, your resilience, your enterprises and your determination to build better livelihoods for yourselves and your families.

On behalf of the Government and the good people of Katsina State, I thank you all for being part of this significant occasion.

Distinguished ladies and gentlemen,

Our administration recognises that women play a central role in household welfare, community development and economic growth. Investing in women is, therefore, an investment in stronger families, more productive communities and a more prosperous Katsina State.

This conviction informs our commitment to expanding the Nigeria for Women Programme Scale-Up Project across the State under our Building Your Future Agenda. By providing women with access to finance, opportunities for collective savings, business support and productive economic activities, we aim to strengthen their capacity to generate income, improve household welfare and contribute meaningfully to the State's economic development.

The Community Investment Fund is a critical component of this effort. Through the Women Affinity Groups, the programme promotes a culture of savings, mutual support, financial discipline and collective responsibility. It also provides women with an opportunity to access resources that can help them establish new businesses, expand existing enterprises and improve their economic circumstances.

Under the current phase of implementation, the programme is extending support to eligible Women Affinity Groups in the participating Local Government Areas. The implementation process will continue in phases until the programme reaches the eligible groups across the remaining Local Government Areas of the State.

I wish to emphasise that today's flag-off marks the commencement of the disbursement process; it is not the conclusion of the process. Women Affinity Groups that are not receiving their grants today should remain confident that the process will continue. All eligible groups will be considered for support as they mature and satisfy the programme's established requirements.

Our objective is to ensure that the benefits of this initiative reach eligible women across Katsina State in an orderly, transparent and sustainable manner.

Beyond the provision of the Community Investment Fund, our administration is committed to supporting the development of livelihood collectives that will enable women to improve productivity, participate in profitable value chains, strengthen their businesses and gain access to larger markets. Access to finance must be accompanied by the knowledge, skills, market opportunities and institutional support required to sustain economic progress.

Distinguished guests,

One particularly encouraging aspect of this programme is the participation of women with hearing impairment who have come together to establish their own Women Affinity Groups.

Their participation demonstrates the importance of ensuring that development opportunities are accessible to everyone, irrespective of disability or social circumstances. It reminds us that disability must never be a barrier to dignity, opportunity or economic empowerment.

These women have demonstrated determination and resilience by organising themselves, saving collectively, supporting one another and participating actively in a programme designed to improve their livelihoods.

To our women with hearing impairment, I wish to assure you that your aspirations and contributions matter. Your participation is valued, and your determination is commendable. Your example reinforces our responsibility as a Government and as a society to remove barriers, promote equal opportunities and ensure that persons with disabilities are included in development programmes.

Our commitment is to build a society in which every woman, regardless of her circumstances, has a fair opportunity to participate in economic and community life.

My dear beneficiaries,

The success of this programme will depend not only on the support provided but also on how responsibly and productively that support is utilised. I therefore urge all beneficiaries to use the funds for the purposes for which they are intended, invest in viable economic activities, maintain proper records and fulfill their obligations under the programme.

I also encourage members of the Women Affinity Groups to sustain the spirit of cooperation, mutual trust and collective responsibility that underpins the programme. The funds should serve as a foundation for building sustainable businesses, increasing household income and creating lasting economic opportunities.

Government and programme partners must equally ensure that implementation is guided by transparency, accountability, effective monitoring and the principles of fairness and inclusion.

As we continue to expand opportunities for women, our administration also recognises the importance of extending similar economic empowerment opportunities to men across Katsina State. We are therefore committed to exploring sustainable approaches through which men can organise, save, access appropriate support and participate in productive economic activities.

Empowering women and men in complementary ways will strengthen households, promote economic participation and contribute to poverty reduction and community resilience. This objective is particularly relevant in the context of the declaration by His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, of this year as the Year of Families, underscoring the importance of strengthening families as the foundation of a stable and prosperous society.

Distinguished representatives of the World Bank and our development partners,

We deeply appreciate the partnership and technical support that have made the Nigeria for Women Programme Scale-Up Project possible. The programme provides an important platform for addressing barriers to women's economic participation and promoting sustainable livelihoods at the grassroots.

However, the demand for these opportunities remains substantial. We therefore respectfully appeal to the World Bank and our development partners to consider additional financing and technical support to enable Katsina State to expand the programme's coverage, deepen its impact and reach more eligible women across the State.

Such support will complement the commitment of our administration and help ensure that more women, particularly those in underserved communities and those facing additional barriers to economic participation, can benefit from the programme.

Our goal is clear: to build a more inclusive economy in which women have the resources, skills and opportunities required to improve their livelihoods and contribute fully to the development of their communities.

Today's ceremony is about much more than the disbursement of funds. It represents an investment in enterprise, financial inclusion, stronger households and the economic potential of women across Katsina State.

It is an opportunity to translate Government policy and development partnerships into tangible improvements in people's lives. We must therefore work together to ensure that the resources provided generate sustainable benefits for beneficiaries, their families and their communities.

To our beneficiaries, I encourage you to make the most of this opportunity. Support one another, strengthen your businesses, uphold the principles of collective responsibility and use the resources provided to build a more secure future for yourselves and your families.

To our implementing agencies and development partners, I urge you to maintain the highest standards of transparency, accountability and professionalism throughout the implementation process.

Together, we can build a Katsina State where women are economically empowered, families are stronger, communities are more resilient and every citizen has a fair opportunity to prosper.

Once again, I warmly welcome all our distinguished guests, development partners, stakeholders and beneficiaries to Katsina State. I thank you for your continued support and commitment to the success of this important programme.

May Almighty Allah bless our collective efforts, bless the women and families of Katsina State, bless Katsina State, and bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Thank you for your kind attention.

Wassalamu Alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh.