Katsina State Governor, Malam Dikko Umaru Radda, has reaffirmed his administration’s unwavering commitment to empowering, educating, and protecting the girl child as the world marks the 2025 International Day of the Girl Child.
Speaking on this year’s theme, “The Girl I Am, The Change I Lead: Girls on the Frontlines of Crisis,” Governor Radda hailed the courage of girls who continue to thrive despite challenges of conflict, displacement, and poverty — describing them as “the heart of progress and resilience in every society.”
“When a girl is educated and empowered, an entire family, and indeed a whole community, rises with her,” the Governor declared. “Our goal is to build a Katsina where every girl can learn without fear, live with dignity, and lead with confidence.”
Under Radda’s leadership, Katsina has achieved landmark successes through the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) — a partnership with the World Bank and the Federal Ministry of Education.
So far, 75 new secondary schools have been built and over 150 existing ones renovated with modern classrooms, laboratories, water systems, and toilets.
More than 104,000 girls in 255 public schools now benefit from Conditional Cash Transfers, while the state’s “Back-to-School” campaigns have returned 42,000 girls to classrooms after years of absence. Fifteen pilot schools also received mega grants for infrastructure upgrades, including ICT labs and digital tools.
To ensure no girl is left behind, the Radda administration introduced transport stipends and bicycles for girls in remote communities, ensuring distance no longer hinders education.
Through partnerships with UNICEF and other agencies, the government established Safe Spaces and Mentorship Clubs in several LGAs, training hundreds of girls in tailoring, catering, ICT, and crafts. Over 1,300 girls have re-enrolled in schools through community sensitisation campaigns.
Skills acquisition has also been a game changer. In 2023 and 2024, nearly 1,000 girls graduated from state-owned training centres in Katsina, Kaita, Funtua, and Baure. Five new centres in Dutsi, Charanchi, Mani, Kurfi, and Matazu are expected to graduate another 1,000 girls by December 2025.
Graduates receive empowerment kits, sewing machines, and start-up funds to launch small businesses.
Through the Digital Katsina Initiative, hundreds of girls have been trained in coding, robotics, and online safety — giving rise to the Katsina Girls Coding and Robotics Club in partnership with Arewa Tech Fest.
Governor Radda’s administration established the NASIHA Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) — offering free medical, legal, and psychosocial support to survivors of gender-based violence. Gender desks now exist in all LGAs and police divisions to handle abuse-related cases.
Additionally, laws now prohibit street hawking during school hours, while continuous awareness campaigns tackle early marriage and child labour.
Radda expanded the Nigeria for Women Project (NFWP) from three pilot LGAs to all 34, creating over 5,000 Women Affinity Groups (WAGs) that provide entrepreneurship training, financial literacy, and seed grants. Katsina also secured 3,500 Federal TVET training slots to benefit girls from low-income homes.
To inspire leadership, the government launched the Katsina Girl-Child Ambassadors Network, Girls in Leadership Debates, and the Annual Girls’ Conference, where young girls gain confidence to engage in civic and community development.
At the grassroots, Ward Women Development Committees now work with traditional and religious leaders to promote girl-child education and delay early marriages.
Radda’s Promise
In just two and a half years, Governor Radda’s reforms have transformed Katsina into one of Nigeria’s top-performing AGILE states — earning national praise for measurable progress in gender inclusion and education.
“Today, as we celebrate the International Day of the Girl Child,” Governor Radda said, “I salute every girl in Katsina and beyond. You are the change you lead — and your voice will continue to shape the brighter future we are building together.”
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