Launch of the State Development Plan, Social Protection Policy and Nutrition Policy

Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim.

I give all praise and gratitude to Almighty Allah (SWT), the Most Beneficent and the Most Merciful, for granting us the opportunity to witness this historic occasion. I warmly welcome every distinguished guest who has honoured our invitation to participate in the official launch and dissemination of five landmark policy and planning documents that will shape the development trajectory of Katsina State for many years to come.

Today's event is far more than a ceremonial unveiling of documents. It is a public declaration of our administration's commitment to planning with purpose, governing with evidence, and delivering development that is inclusive, measurable and sustainable.

Since assuming office, our administration has remained steadfast in its belief that government policies must be driven by facts rather than assumptions. We recognise that sustainable development is only possible when decisions are informed by reliable statistics, rigorous analysis and broad stakeholder consultation.

For this reason, we have invested considerably in strengthening planning institutions, improving statistical systems and promoting a culture of evidence-based governance across all Ministries, Departments and Agencies.

Building a Strong Foundation for Development

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,

Every successful society plans for its future. Great nations and prosperous states do not rely on chance; they rely on deliberate planning, effective institutions and accountable leadership.

Development planning provides the roadmap that connects today's decisions with tomorrow's aspirations. It ensures that scarce public resources are allocated efficiently, programmes are properly prioritised and progress is continuously monitored.

Without reliable data, planning becomes speculative. Without planning, development becomes accidental. Our administration has therefore made data and planning central pillars of governance.

Today's launch reflects this philosophy.

The documents being unveiled represent months of technical work, extensive consultations and collaboration among government institutions, development partners, academia, civil society organisations, the private sector, traditional institutions and local communities.

The Five Strategic Documents

Today we officially present to the people of Katsina State:

• The Katsina State Development Plan;
• The Katsina State Social Protection Policy;
• The Multi-Sectoral Strategic Plan of Action for Food and Nutrition;
• The Katsina State Nutrition Policy; and
• The Katsina State General Household Survey Report.

Together, these documents provide a comprehensive framework for achieving inclusive economic growth, reducing poverty, improving food and nutrition security, strengthening social protection and enhancing public sector performance.

They are living documents that will guide policy formulation, budgeting, implementation, monitoring and evaluation.

Katsina State Development Plan

The Katsina State Development Plan is our strategic blueprint for transforming the economy and improving the welfare of our people.

It identifies priority investments across agriculture, education, healthcare, infrastructure, industrialisation, environmental sustainability, digital innovation, security, governance and youth empowerment.

The Plan aligns with this administration’s policy framework popularly know as Building Your Future (BYF), Katsina State Economic Development Strategy, national development frameworks, Agenda 2063 of the African Union and the Sustainable Development Goals

Our vision is clear: Katsina State has an improved governance system making the State sustainable in security, socio-economic and environment that enhance people’s well-being.

Since assuming office, our administration has made unprecedented investments in human capital development, recognising that the true wealth of any society lies in the health, knowledge, and productivity of its people. We have undertaken the extensive renovation and upgrading of healthcare facilities across the State, equipped our hospitals with state-of-the-art medical equipment, and recruited qualified healthcare professionals to improve access to quality and affordable healthcare services.

In the education sector, we have embarked on the construction of Smart Schools, renovated and expanded existing educational infrastructure, recruited thousands of qualified teachers, and introduced reforms aimed at enhancing teaching and learning outcomes. These strategic investments are designed to equip our children and youth with the knowledge, skills, and competencies required to thrive in an increasingly competitive and technology-driven world.

We recognise that sustainable socio-economic development cannot be achieved without peace and security. I am pleased to note that the security situation across much of Katsina State has improved considerably through the concerted efforts of our administration, the Armed Forces, other security agencies, traditional institutions, and local communities. As a result, many of our farmers have returned to their farms, agricultural activities have resumed in several previously affected areas, and economic and social life is gradually being restored.

While we celebrate these gains, we remain mindful that security challenges persist in a few Local Government Areas where isolated attacks still occur. Let me assure the good people of Katsina State that this administration will continue to work tirelessly and collaborate closely with all relevant security agencies, community leaders, and other critical stakeholders to eliminate these threats, restore lasting peace, and ensure that every citizen can live, work, and farm in safety and dignity.

Social Protection Policy

Distinguished guests,

Economic growth must benefit everyone. The true measure of development is how well society protects its most vulnerable citizens.

Our Social Protection Policy provides an integrated framework for supporting poor households, women, children, older persons, persons with disabilities, internally displaced persons and other vulnerable groups.

It promotes coordinated interventions including: social assistance, livelihood support, human capital development, labour market interventions, shock-responsive social protection, and institutional coordination. Through this policy, we reaffirm our commitment that no citizen should be left behind.

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,

Our administration is equally committed to building a social protection system that reflects our values, meets the needs of our people, and leaves no one behind. In Katsina State, we are implementing an innovative hybrid social protection model that harmonises the enduring principles of our Islamic social welfare system—particularly Zakat and Waqf—with modern, evidence-based social protection approaches. This model combines faith-based solidarity with contemporary social policy to provide sustainable support for the poorest and most vulnerable members of our society.

The results have been encouraging. Through the Zakat programme alone, over 50,555 beneficiaries have received various forms of assistance, while more than ₦1.9 billion has been mobilised to support vulnerable households, strengthen livelihoods, and promote social inclusion. These interventions have provided relief to widows, orphans, persons with disabilities, vulnerable families, and other disadvantaged groups, while empowering many beneficiaries to become economically self-reliant.

Our vision is to establish a comprehensive and shock-responsive social protection system that is well-coordinated, data-driven, and inclusive. By integrating traditional community-based support mechanisms with modern social protection programmes, we are creating a model that is not only culturally relevant but also effective in reducing poverty, building resilience, and fostering shared prosperity across Katsina State.

We remain committed to expanding the reach of these interventions, strengthening partnerships with development partners, faith-based organisations, community leaders, and the private sector, and ensuring that every vulnerable citizen has the opportunity to live with dignity, hope, and a renewed sense of purpose.

Nutrition Policy and Multi-Sectoral Strategic Plan

Malnutrition remains one of the greatest threats to human capital development. A malnourished child today may become an unproductive adult tomorrow. Improving nutrition is therefore not merely a health issue; it is an economic investment.

The Nutrition Policy and the Multi-Sectoral Strategic Plan recognise that nutrition outcomes depend on coordinated action across agriculture, health, education, water, sanitation, hygiene, food systems and social protection.

These documents will strengthen collaboration among government institutions and partners in reducing stunting, wasting, micronutrient deficiencies and food insecurity.

Healthy children learn better, healthy mothers contribute more effectively to economic growth and healthy communities build stronger economies.

Improving the nutritional status of our people, particularly women and children, remains one of the highest priorities of this administration. We recognise that good nutrition is the foundation of a healthy, educated, and productive population, and an indispensable driver of sustainable socio-economic development.

In demonstration of this commitment, the Katsina State Government has invested over ₦1.7 billion in targeted nutrition interventions aimed at preventing malnutrition, improving maternal and child nutrition, and strengthening the delivery of essential nutrition services across the State. In addition, the Government has provided a ₦500 million counterpart fund to leverage support from development partners and accelerate the implementation of high-impact nutrition programmes.

These investments are yielding significant progress in promoting optimal infant and young child feeding practices, expanding access to micronutrient supplementation, strengthening the management of acute malnutrition, and improving community awareness of healthy nutrition practices. Our goal is to ensure that every child in Katsina State has the opportunity to survive, grow, learn, and realise his or her full potential.

We remain committed to sustaining these investments and strengthening collaboration with our development partners, civil society organisations, traditional and religious institutions, and local communities to eliminate all forms of malnutrition and secure a healthier and more prosperous future for the people of Katsina State.

General Household Survey Report

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,

Perhaps one of today's most significant achievements is the release of the Katsina State General Household Survey Report.

For the first time, our State has generated comprehensive household-level data covering all 34 Local Government Areas.

The survey provides robust information on household welfare, poverty, employment and livelihoods, agriculture, education, health, housing conditions, water, sanitation and hygiene, access to basic services, household consumption, social protection; and other critical development indicators.

These findings provide an invaluable evidence base for policy formulation and programme design.

Government will no longer rely solely on assumptions. Development interventions will increasingly be targeted using credible data. Resources will be allocated where they are needed most. Performance will be measured objectively. And citizens will benefit from programmes designed around their actual needs.

Strengthening Evidence-Based Governance

Our administration is determined to institutionalise evidence-based decision-making across government.

Every Ministry, Department and Agency is expected to use statistical evidence when preparing policies, strategic plans, annual budgets and monitoring frameworks.

We shall continue to strengthen the capacity of the Katsina State Bureau of Statistics to produce timely, high-quality and internationally comparable statistics.

Reliable statistics are public goods. They enhance transparency. They improve accountability. They strengthen public confidence. They also attract investors by providing credible information on market opportunities and development prospects.

Partnership for Development

Today's achievement would not have been possible without the unwavering support of our development partners.

On behalf of the Government and people of Katsina State, I express our profound gratitude to UNICEF for its technical and financial support in strengthening planning systems, statistical capacity and evidence generation.

We also appreciate the contributions of all development partners, United Nations agencies, donor organisations, federal institutions, academia, civil society organisations and the private sector.

Your partnership demonstrates what can be achieved when governments and development partners work together towards a shared vision of sustainable development.

We look forward to strengthening these partnerships as we implement these strategic documents.

Appreciation

I commend the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, the Katsina State Bureau of Statistics, members of the Steering Committees, Technical Working Groups, consultants, supervisors, enumerators, data analysts and every stakeholder who contributed to these important achievements.

Your professionalism and dedication have produced documents that will guide development in Katsina State for many years.

Call to Action

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,

The launch of these documents marks the beginning—not the end—of our work.

Implementation is the true test of success.

I therefore call upon every Ministry, Department and Agency to align their plans and budgets with these strategic frameworks.

I encourage our Local Government Councils to utilise the findings of the General Household Survey to improve service delivery at the grassroots.

I invite development partners to continue supporting implementation through technical cooperation, capacity development and strategic investments.

I urge the private sector to take advantage of the opportunities identified within these documents to invest in agriculture, manufacturing, commerce, infrastructure, renewable energy and digital innovation.

I encourage researchers, universities and civil society organisations to make extensive use of the survey data in generating knowledge that will contribute to public policy and sustainable development.

Our Vision for Katsina State

Our aspiration is to build a Katsina State where every child has access to quality education.

Where every mother receives quality healthcare.

Where every farmer has improved productivity.

Where every young person has opportunities for decent employment.

Where businesses thrive.

Where communities are resilient.

Where governance is transparent.

Where public resources are used efficiently.

Where no one is left behind.

This is the future we are building.

It requires commitment.

It requires partnership.

It requires accountability.

Most importantly, it requires all of us to work together.

Formal Declaration

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,

Having fulfilled all necessary requirements and recognising the immense value of these strategic documents to the future of our dear State, it gives me great pleasure and honour to formally launch and declare open for implementation:

• The Katsina State Development Plan;
• The Katsina State Social Protection Policy;
• The Multi-Sectoral Strategic Plan of Action for Food and Nutrition;
• The Katsina State Nutrition Policy;
• The Katsina State General Household Survey Report; and
• Statistical Yearbook

May these documents serve as enduring instruments for sustainable development, inclusive growth and improved quality of life for all the people of Katsina State.

May Almighty Allah (SWT) guide us in their successful implementation, bless our efforts and continue to grant peace, unity and prosperity to Katsina State and the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Thank you for your attention.

Long Live Katsina State.

Long Live the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Thank you, and may Allah bless you all.