Governors of Nigeria’s Northwest region have intensified efforts to combat poverty, youth unemployment, and the out-of-school crisis, following high-level engagements with the United Nations (UN) and the African Development Bank (AfDB).
The meeting, hosted at Government House, Katsina, by Katsina State Governor and Chairman of the Northwest Governors’ Forum, Malam Dikko Umaru Radda, brought together key stakeholders, including UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed, UN Resident Coordinator Malick Fall, and AfDB officials.
Governor Radda emphasized the forum’s commitment to swift and impactful interventions in social protection, education, food security, and climate adaptation.
“We are on the brink of implementing major agricultural and economic initiatives that will directly benefit the Northwestern states,” Governor Radda stated, referencing the Nigeria Agricultural Growth Scheme 2.0 (NAG 2.0) and the Special Agro-Processing Zones (SAPZ) Phase 2, which will now include all five Northwest states after only Kaduna and Kano benefited in the first phase.
Additionally, the forum is set to leverage renewable energy solutions, including solar and CNG, to drive sustainable economic growth while tapping into opportunities within the Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) to support education accessibility.
In a major step towards structured governance, the forum appointed Ms. Maryam Musa Yahaya as its first Director General, tasking her with coordinating development partnerships and fostering synergy among Northwest states. Each governor has also designated a focal person to oversee projects within their respective states.
Reaffirming their commitment to national development, the forum expressed unwavering support for President Bola Ahmed Tinibu’s economic policies, vowing to align their regional strategies with his administration’s broader vision for Nigeria’s prosperity.
Governor Radda declared, “We stand united in our mission to drive economic transformation and improve the livelihoods of our people.”
This latest engagement signals a new era of regional collaboration and international partnership, setting the stage for sustainable growth and development in Northwest Nigeria.
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