The Katsina State Government has begun releasing business grants to women under the Nigeria for Women Programme Scale-Up Project, with more than 40,000 women expected to receive assistance through the Community Investment Fund.
Vice President Kashim Shettima, who attended the launch in Katsina on Sunday, said the financial package was aimed at helping women expand their economic activities and improve the financial wellbeing of their families.
Rather than treating the exercise as a simple cash distribution, Shettima said the broader objective was to give women the means and knowledge required to build viable sources of income.
He said, “The Community Investment Fund under the Nigeria for Women Programme Scale-Up Project addresses that question with an investment in capability. Over 40,000 women in Katsina State stand to receive business capital, having as ßfulfilled the prescribed eligibility conditions and demonstrated satisfactory performance in their savings and group activities”.
The Vice President noted that the strength of the project would ultimately be determined by what recipients achieved with the resources placed in their hands.
He said increased earnings, business expansion, job creation and greater ability to cope with unexpected financial difficulties would provide clearer evidence of the programme’s impact.
Shettima also pointed to the importance of combining access to money with practical knowledge, saying recipients needed adequate preparation to make sound financial decisions and manage their enterprises effectively.
“The programme’s model of linking finance with savings, training, financial literacy and productive resources is critical to ensuring that beneficiaries are able to manage and grow their businesses sustainably.
“A woman should understand the terms on which she borrows, distinguish revenue from profit, and possess the confidence to question a transaction. Financial participation loses much of its value without informed judgment,” Shettima said.
He encouraged the women to maintain the saving habits and group discipline that enabled them to qualify, while advising them to keep detailed financial records and exercise caution when using their resources.
Shettima further warned against allowing personal or political interests to influence the selection of recipients.
“Eligibility must remain the basis of access without favoritism or political interference. A beneficiary should understand what she receives and how the process works. Each transaction should be properly documented and questions should receive prompt answers,” he said.
He commended the state administration for its contribution towards the project and recognised the World Bank for its partnership.
The Vice President equally called for continued checks on the implementation of the project after the launch to ensure that the resources achieve their intended purpose.
Radda disclosed that the state had already spent over N4bn on the project, while another N4bn was recently approved to increase the number of women who can benefit.
The governor said Katsina had chosen to provide matching funds alongside the World Bank contribution, describing the arrangement as evidence of his administration’s commitment to improving the economic position of women.
“It is on this note that Katsina State is matching every dollar that is given by the World Bank to support the women in the state. So far, Katsina State has contributed over four billion Naira for this project and approval last month of another four billion was done by the Executive Council of the state,” the governor said.
He said the project had initially been restricted to Katsina, Funtua and Daura local government areas before being extended to six more councils.
Radda said the government’s ultimate target was to take the project to every part of the state, covering all 34 local government areas.
He explained that the first batch of payments should not be mistaken for the completion of the exercise.
“Today’s flag-off marks the commencement of the disbursement process. It is not the conclusion of the process,” he said.
The governor asked women’s groups that were not included in the first phase to remain patient, stressing that more groups would be accommodated after fulfilling the required conditions.
He said the project would give women opportunities to raise capital collectively, strengthen their businesses and participate in productive ventures capable of generating regular income.
Radda further disclosed plans to develop stronger economic groups that could help women enter profitable industries, increase the volume of their output and connect with bigger markets.
“Access to finance must be accompanied by the knowledge, skills, market opportunities and institutional support required to sustain economic growth,” Radda noted.
He also highlighted the participation of women living with hearing impairment, who, according to him, had formed their own group and taken part in the required collective savings activities.
The governor appealed to the World Bank and other development organisations to increase their financial and technical assistance to the state.
Such additional backing, he said, would enable the government to extend the project to the remaining local government areas.
Radda said the large number of women seeking access to the project showed the scale of the economic challenges facing many households, particularly in communities where opportunities for earning a living remain limited.
For the women receiving the funds, the expectation is that the capital will help them expand existing ventures, establish new income streams and contribute more substantially to the financial needs of their households and communities.
