The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to working with state governments, traditional institutions, religious leaders, communities, and development partners to build a credible, scalable, and sustainable social protection system in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Vice President Kashim Shettima made this known during the two-day High-Level North-West Policy Dialogue on Reducing Multidimensional Poverty Through Scaled Social Protection Systems and Innovative Financing held in Kano State.
Represented by the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau I. Jibrin, the Vice President described social protection as a critical pillar of national development and a key responsibility of government.
According to him, social protection serves as a mechanism for preventing vulnerability from degenerating into destitution and ensuring that the poorest citizens are not left behind due to poverty, conflict, climate challenges, geography, or economic shocks.
Shettima stressed the need for Nigeria to move beyond fragmented interventions and establish durable systems supported by credible social registers, transparent payment mechanisms, efficient service delivery structures, and sustainable financing models capable of surviving political transitions.
“The North-West remains central to Nigeria’s destiny. It is home to vast agricultural opportunities, thriving commerce, youthful energy, and distinguished entrepreneurs who continue to contribute significantly to the nation’s economy,” he said.
Kano first
The Vice President, however, acknowledged the challenges confronting the region, including poor health and education indicators, widespread poverty, high maternal mortality rates, child malnutrition, and the out-of-school children crisis.
“We inherited significant deprivations across health, education, nutrition and income security. More than eight million children remain out of school, maternal mortality rates are still alarming, under-five mortality remains unacceptably high, and child stunting affects over half of children in some communities,” he stated.
In his remarks, Chairman of the North-West Governors’ Forum (NWGF) and Governor of Katsina State, Malam Dikko Umaru Radda, represented by Deputy Governor Faruk Lawal Jobe, described poverty reduction as a strategic investment in the future of the region.
He noted that the forum’s recommendations would contribute significantly to strengthening healthcare, education, agriculture, security, and economic opportunities across the North-West.
Earlier, Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano State, represented by Deputy Governor Alhaji Murtala Sule Garo, emphasized the collective responsibility of leaders and stakeholders to ensure that policies and investments translate into tangible improvements in the lives of citizens.
The governor stressed the need to prioritize women, children, youth, persons with disabilities, and other vulnerable groups in all social protection interventions.
He expressed confidence that the deliberations would generate practical recommendations capable of fostering a more inclusive and prosperous future for the North-West and Nigeria as a whole.
Speaking at the dialogue, UNICEF Country Representative in Nigeria, Wafaa Saeed Abdelatef, reiterated the organization’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s efforts to improve the lives of children.
She observed that one in every four Nigerian children lives in the North-West, making progress in the region essential to national and continental development.
According to her, social protection systems help communities withstand economic hardship, insecurity, and climate-related shocks while enabling families to remain resilient during crises.
“Social protection is about building systems that help people and communities become resilient in the face of insecurity, economic hardship, and climate shocks,” she said.
Also speaking, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Regional Development Programmes, Dr. Mariam Temitope Masha, described the North-West as a region of more than 60 million people and a critical component of Nigeria’s future.
She noted that despite its enormous population and economic potential, the region continues to face significant developmental challenges, making targeted interventions imperative.
“The future of Nigeria is closely tied to the future of the North-West. Children, women, youth and the elderly must be given the opportunity to live with dignity and access essential services,” she said.
Dr. Masha disclosed that President Tinubu had designated 2026 as the Year of Family and Social Protection, emphasizing that government funding alone would not be sufficient to address the challenges.
She advocated the adoption of innovative financing mechanisms, including Islamic social finance instruments such as Zakat and Waqf, alongside partnerships with development agencies and the private sector.
“The Office of the Vice President is fully committed to making strategic investments in our people through sustainable social protection programmes,” she added.
Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr. Bernard Doro, noted that multidimensional poverty indicators remain alarming, particularly in the North-West.
According to him, poverty continues to deepen while opportunities diminish, widening the gap between aspirations and realities.
He urged Nigeria to draw lessons from Ethiopia’s Productive Safety Net Programme launched in 2005, describing it as a successful model for reducing poverty and protecting vulnerable populations.
“The challenges are enormous, but the North-West has the opportunity to reverse the trend. Coordination is critical because without it, we risk working in silos and fragmenting our efforts,” he said.
The European Union Ambassador to Nigeria, Ambassador Gautier Mignot, observed that effective social protection systems would significantly reduce humanitarian dependence and strengthen long-term resilience among vulnerable populations.
The dialogue also highlighted achievements recorded by the North-West Governors’ Forum under the leadership of Governor Dikko Umaru Radda, including the adoption of the North-West Peace, Security and Development Framework (2026–2030) in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
The framework seeks to address insecurity, banditry, kidnapping, climate challenges, and the root causes of multidimensional poverty across the region.
The forum has also strengthened partnerships with international organizations, including the African Development Bank, the European Union, UNICEF, and the United Nations Country Team, while promoting better governance structures and improved data systems for evidence-based policymaking.
Participants at the dialogue further endorsed efforts to institutionalize social protection policies across member states, improve educational access, expand women’s economic inclusion programmes, strengthen child protection systems, and enhance sustainable financing mechanisms.
The event attracted high-level participation from government officials, development partners, traditional rulers, and civil society organizations, including Director-General of the North-West Governors’ Forum, Maryam Musa Yahaya; Deputy Governors from Kaduna, Jigawa, Katsina, Sokoto, and Zamfara States; the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II; representatives of the European Union, UNICEF, UNDP, and other international partners.
Stakeholders at the forum unanimously agreed that strengthened regional collaboration, sustainable financing, and coordinated social protection interventions remain essential to reducing multidimensional poverty and improving the living conditions of millions of people across the North-West region.