Shettima Flags Off ₦4bn Women’s Investment Fund in Katsina, Says Women Deserve Economy Worthy of Their Labour

Shettima Flags Off ₦4bn Women’s Investment Fund in Katsina, Says Women Deserve Economy Worthy of Their Labour

Vice President Kashim Shettima has called for a more conducive business environment for Nigerian women, saying the country owes them an economy capable of rewarding their hard work and supporting their ambitions.

Shettima made the call on Sunday in Katsina State while flagging off the disbursement of the Community Investment Fund (CIF) under the Nigeria for Women Programme Scale-Up (NFWP-SU) at the Muhammadu Dikko Stadium, Katsina.

The initiative is aimed at strengthening women’s economic empowerment and financial inclusion by providing access to capital, training and productive resources.

The Vice President said more than 40,000 women in Katsina State were eligible to receive business capital after meeting the prescribed conditions and demonstrating satisfactory performance in their savings and group activities.

“Our daughters should inherit their mothers’ determination without inheriting every obstacle their mothers endured,” Shettima said, stressing the need to remove barriers that limit women’s economic opportunities.

He said many women had carried heavy responsibilities with limited resources, adding that their ambitions should now have greater room to flourish.

“We owe these women an economy worthy of their labour. They have carried heavy responsibilities with limited means; their ambition should now have more room to flourish,” he said.

Shettima maintained that the economic reforms of President Bola Tinubu’s administration must translate into stronger businesses, greater purchasing power and improved living standards for Nigerians.

According to him, economic policies must connect national growth to the realities of traders, producers and service providers by making their efforts more rewarding.

The Vice President commended Katsina State Governor, Dikko Umaru Radda, for prioritising women and vulnerable households, describing the attention as an important aspect of responsive leadership.

He also stressed that the Community Investment Fund was not simply about providing money, but also about equipping beneficiaries with knowledge and organisational skills to ensure sustainable business growth.

Shettima said the Women Affinity Groups link savings and lending with training, financial literacy and access to productive resources. He urged beneficiaries to maintain proper records, manage their finances responsibly and preserve the trust within their groups.

He further directed those administering the fund to ensure that eligibility remains the basis for access, without favouritism or political interference, while ensuring that beneficiaries understand the process and all transactions are properly documented.

Earlier, Governor Radda announced that the state government had committed an additional ₦4 billion to the Nigeria for Women Programme Scale-Up, bringing its total financial commitment to ₦8 billion.

Radda said the programme would expand economic opportunities for women across Katsina State and improve their livelihoods. He particularly commended the inclusion of women living with hearing impairment through the formation of affinity groups.

The governor added that the state government would complement the women-focused initiative with similar interventions targeting men, noting that empowering both men and women would strengthen household incomes and promote financial independence.

The World Bank Country Director for Nigeria, Matthew Verghis, said Nigerian women were already making significant contributions across various sectors of the economy, but closing gender gaps would require deliberate action.

Verghis commended the Federal and Katsina State Governments for identifying the economic needs of women and addressing them through empowerment programmes. He also urged the private sector, community leaders and traditional institutions to support efforts to expand economic opportunities for women.

As part of his visit, Shettima inaugurated 32 compressed natural gas-powered buses and 200 electric-powered tricycles under the Katsina State Comprehensive Urban Renewal Programme.

He also inaugurated several completed road projects aimed at improving traffic flow, connectivity and urban mobility across Katsina metropolis.

The Vice President further witnessed the reception of prominent political defectors into the All Progressives Congress (APC), led by former Secretary to the Katsina State Government, Dr Mustapha Inuwa, alongside eight National Assembly aspirants, 18 State House of Assembly aspirants and other political leaders from opposition parties.

Shettima Flags Off ₦4bn Women’s Investment Fund in Katsina, Says Women Deserve Economy Worthy of Their Labour