Disbursement to 14,450 women in small businesses

Assalamu alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.

Good morning, distinguished ladies and gentlemen.

It is with immense joy and deep sense of purpose that I stand before you today not as a distant leader, but as a fellow citizen, a brother, and a committed partner in the journey of our beloved Katsina State.

Today marks a historic moment in our collective effort to build an inclusive, equitable, and prosperous society. We gather not merely to hand over financial support, but to affirm a fundamental truth: the economic empowerment of women is the surest path to sustainable development.

To the 14,450 remarkable women seated here—mothers, artisans, traders, farmers, tailors, dyers, food processors, petty commodity sellers, you are not beneficiaries; you are engines of our local economy. For too long, your contributions have powered our markets, sustained our households, and preserved our cultural heritage often without recognition, without capital, and without institutional support.

This disbursement carefully designed, transparently executed, and directly delivered is part of Building Your Future Agenda of the present Administration. Each of you has been selected based on verified engagement in legitimate small-scale enterprise or traditional livelihoods. This is not a handout, it is seed capital entrusted to those who have already proven their willingness to work.

Let me be clear: this intervention is strategic. Studies show that when women control income, up to 90% is reinvested into family nutrition, children’s education, and community well-being. That is why we prioritize you not out of sentiment, but out of sound economic logic and social justice.

I commend the Ministry of Women Affairs, led by the diligent Hajiya Aisha Aminu Malumfashi, for its meticulous planning, community outreach, and collaboration with local government structures to ensure fairness and transparency. I also thank our development partners whose technical and logistical support has amplified our reach.

But let us be honest: money alone is not enough. That is why this program includes follow-up mentorship, access to savings groups, and linkage to market opportunities. In the coming months, we will establish Women Enterprise Hubs across all 34 LGAs offering training in record-keeping, product quality, digital literacy, and cooperative marketing.

To each woman here: use this opportunity wisely. Expand your stock. Improve your tools. Join a cooperative. Send your child back to school. Inspire your neighbor. Become a mentor. Let your success ripple through your village, your ward, your LGA.

And to my fellow citizens: support these women. Buy from them. Respect their work. Challenge anyone who says a woman’s place is only in the home. Her place is wherever she chooses to build in the market, on the farm, in the workshop, or even in this very square as a future leader.

My administration believes that true security begins with economic dignity. When hands are busy creating, minds are less tempted by despair or division. Empowering women is not just good policy, it is peace-building.

So today, as we distribute these funds, we are not just investing in businesses, we are investing in hope, stability, and the future of Katsina.

May Almighty Allah guide us, protect our people, and bless your endeavors.

Wassalamu alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.