The Federal Government has commenced disbursement of funds under the Nigeria for Women Programme Scale-Up Project in Katsina State, with more than 40,000 women expected to benefit from the Community Investment Fund (CIF).
Speaking at the flag-off ceremony in Katsina on Sunday, Vice President Kashim Shettima said the initiative was designed to strengthen women’s economic capacity, improve household incomes and promote financial inclusion at the grassroots.
Shettima described the fund as an investment in women’s productive capacity, noting that beneficiaries had met the prescribed eligibility conditions and demonstrated satisfactory performance in savings and group activities.
He said the programme’s success should be measured not only by the number of women receiving funds but also by its ability to strengthen businesses, increase household earnings, create jobs and help beneficiaries withstand economic shocks.
The Vice President stressed that linking finance with savings, training, financial literacy and productive resources was essential to helping women manage and grow their businesses sustainably.
He urged beneficiaries to understand borrowing terms, distinguish revenue from profit, maintain proper records and make careful financial decisions.
Shettima also emphasised transparency, warning that eligibility rather than political influence must determine access to the intervention. He called for proper documentation of transactions and prompt responses to beneficiaries’ questions.
He commended the Katsina State Government and acknowledged the support of the World Bank, while urging implementing agencies to sustain monitoring beyond the disbursement ceremony.
Katsina State Governor Dikko Radda said the state government had committed more than ₦4bn to the Nigeria for Women Programme Scale-Up Project and approved another ₦4bn to expand its coverage.
Radda said Katsina was matching every dollar provided by the World Bank to support the programme.
He explained that the initiative initially commenced in Katsina, Funtua and Daura local government areas before expanding to six additional councils. The state government plans to extend it to all 34 local government areas.
The governor clarified that the flag-off marked the beginning, not the completion, of the disbursement process.
He urged Women Affinity Groups that were not included among the initial beneficiaries to remain patient, assuring them that eligible groups would be considered as they met the programme’s requirements.
Radda said the intervention was designed to provide women with access to finance, collective savings, business support and productive activities that could improve household welfare.
He also announced plans to strengthen livelihood collectives to help women participate in profitable value chains, increase productivity and access larger markets.
The governor highlighted the participation of women with hearing impairment who had formed a Women Affinity Group and taken part in collective savings and other programme activities.
He appealed to the World Bank and other development partners for additional financing and technical support to extend the programme to all 34 local government areas.
Radda said demand remained high, particularly among women in underserved communities and those facing barriers to economic participation.
The intervention is expected to provide opportunities for women to grow small businesses, improve household incomes and create economic activity in their communities.
How to benefit