Northwest Governors, led by Katsina State Governor and Chairman of the Northwest Governors’ Forum, Malam Dikko Umaru Radda, have held a crucial meeting with senior officials of the United Nations and the African Development Bank (AfDB) to advance development initiatives in the region.
The meeting, held in Katsina, was attended by Governors Uba Sani (Kaduna), Dauda Lawal (Zamfara), Ahmed Aliyu (Sokoto), and Umar Namadi (Jigawa).
The forum received briefings from UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed and the UN Resident Coordinator, Malick Fall, on ongoing programmes and strategies for strengthening cooperation.
Speaking after the meeting, Governor Radda highlighted the significance of the engagement, stating that the presence of Amina Mohammed underscored the importance attached to the forum and the current leadership in the Northwest.
The governors agreed to focus on critical areas such as social protection, education, food security, and climate adaptation.
“We have unanimously agreed to work together on economic development, agricultural advancement, addressing the challenge of out-of-school children, poverty alleviation, and youth employment,” Radda said.
The governors also held talks with the AfDB on the Nigeria Agricultural Growth Scheme (NAG 2.0), which targets the Northwestern states.
Governor Radda confirmed that implementation of the scheme was imminent, with a focus on agricultural development and value chain enhancement.
Discussions also covered the second phase of the Special Agro-Processing Zones (SAPZ), which will now include all five Northwest states, unlike the first phase that benefited only Kaduna and Kano. Additionally, the governors explored strategies for livestock development in the region.
The forum also engaged with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) on renewable energy initiatives, particularly in solar and Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), aimed at driving sustainable economic growth.
Furthermore, the governors expressed their readiness to access funding from the Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) to support education in the region.
In a move to enhance collaboration, the forum appointed Ms. Maryam Musa Yahaya as its pioneer Director General. Ms. Yahaya, who has experience working with international development partners and state governments through the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) Secretariat, is expected to coordinate regional development efforts.
Governor Radda also confirmed that each state had designated a focal person to manage development partner programmes within their respective states.
Governor Radda reaffirmed the forum’s commitment to supporting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s economic initiatives.
“The whole Northwest State Governors are in support of the efforts of Mr. President and his initiatives to provide economic prosperity to our country, Nigeria,” he stated.
