Vice President Kashim Shettima is set to launch the Nigeria for Women Programme Scale-Up (NFWP-SU) in Katsina State on Sunday, marking a major milestone in efforts to empower women economically, with 57,432 women expected to receive direct financial support under the Community Investment Fund (CIF).
The intervention, which will initially benefit women across Daura and Funtua Local Government Areas, is designed to expand economic opportunities, strengthen livelihoods and reduce poverty among poor and vulnerable households.
Addressing journalists in Katsina ahead of the launch, the State Commissioner for Women Affairs, Aisha Aminu Malumfashi, described the initiative as a transformative programme that will deepen women’s participation in economic activities through direct financial assistance and community-based support structures.
Under the programme, beneficiaries will be organised into Women Affinity Groups (WAGs), where they will build savings, access financial and non-financial services, strengthen their businesses and connect to wider markets.
World Bank Senior Social Development Specialist and Task Team Leader for the Nigeria for Women Programme, Michael Ilesanmi, said the initiative is deliberately inclusive, stressing that every eligible woman aged 18 years and above, including persons with disabilities, can participate.
He explained that the programme will equip women with financial literacy, enterprise development skills and improved access to finance, markets and productive opportunities while helping them overcome social barriers that limit economic participation.
According to him, the project will also strengthen the resilience of women to climate change by supporting sustainable livelihood activities capable of generating income and improving household welfare.
Ilesanmi commended the Katsina State Government for expanding the programme from an initial six Local Government Areas to all 34 LGAs, revealing that the state has committed over ₦8.5 billion in counterpart funding over the past two years, with additional funding already earmarked in the next budget.
He disclosed that the expanded programme is expected to reach nearly 800,000 women across Katsina State, making it one of the largest women-focused economic empowerment initiatives in the country.
Implemented through a partnership involving the Federal Government, Katsina State Government, the World Bank, financial institutions, communities, women’s groups and other development partners, the programme is expected to usher in a new era of financial inclusion, enterprise development and economic empowerment for women across the state.
The official launch will bring together Federal and State Government officials, development partners, women’s organisations and other stakeholders to formally commence the next phase of the programme.
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