Gov Uba Sani has commended the World Bank for striving to be part of Kaduna State’s success stories.
Sani has also promised that the state can be a model for effective donor agencies’ and the bank’s funded projects in Nigeria, with its strengthened systems and consistent leadership.
The Governor spoke when he received the Regional Vice President of the bank, Mr Ousmane Diagana, on Wednesday in Kaduna.
He commended the bank for supporting state on a diverse portfolio of projects.
According to Sani, the projects are aimed at improving education, healthcare, infrastructure, environmental resilience, agriculture, and social welfare.
He said,’’ These projects had not only reinforced the state’s development agenda but had also contributed to reducing poverty and enhancing the quality of life across various sectors.”
The governor further said that the state was looking forward to strengthening the existing partnerships with the bank and exploring new areas of collaboration.
Sani listed the eight projects that the bank was funding in the state, totaling over $885 million, which included
the Adolescent Girls’ Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) Project, with $80 million in credit.
The governor said that the AGILE Project had advanced secondary education opportunities for adolescent girls, achieving over 70 per cent disbursement and notable progress in schools’ infrastructure and enrolment campaigns.
He further disclosed that the Accelerating Nutrition Results Nigeria (ANRiN) Project had been fully disbursed and now closed.
Sani said, ‘’The $17 million health and nutrition project significantly improved nutrition services for pregnant and lactating women, adolescents, and children, helping reduce maternal and child mortality.’’
According to him, the state had also benefitted from the Nigeria COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus Programme (NG-CARES), which was designed as a COVID-19 recovery effort.
Sani said, ‘’This $20 million project is supporting vulnerable households and small enterprises.
“Approximately 45 per cent had been disbursed and fully utilised to date.’’
He disclosed that the state had drawn from a $700 million pool of the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL).
Dani added that the project addressed land degradation and climate resilience through watershed management and afforestation.
The governor further disclosed that over $5.8 million had been disbursed, with implementation gathering momentum.
On Kaduna State Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (KADRAAMP), he said, ‘’This $20 million rural infrastructure project is enhancing agricultural market access through rural road rehabilitation.
“Half the loan had been utilised, and requests for 2025 counterpart funding are under review.’’
According to him, the state’s portion of the $700 million Sustainable Urban and Rural Water Supply, Sanitation And Hygiene (SURWASH) Programme was progressing, with over $4.2 million drawn down.
The governor disclosed that more than ₦11.5 billion had already been committed as counterpart funding by the state government.
He disclosed that 30 per cent of the $20 million had been disbursed to the implementation of the Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support(L-PRES) Project, which began in early 2024.
Sani said that the Immunisation Plus & Malaria Progress by Accelerating Coverage and Transforming Services (IMPACT) Project was targeting immunization and malaria reduction.
He said that under 50 per cent of the IMPACT $18 million project had been disbursed, adding, ‘’implementation continues with an emphasis on increasing coverage and service transformation.” (NAN)
