By Mustapha Salisu
Stakeholders from across Nigeria’s Northwest converged in Kano on Monday for a high-level policy dialogue focused on strengthening social protection systems and expanding innovative financing mechanisms to combat multidimensional poverty.
The forum, held at the Bristol Palace Hotel, brought renewed attention to the region’s development challenges, with the Kano State Government reiterating its commitment to policies aimed at reducing poverty beyond income-based measures.
Speaking on behalf of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, Deputy Governor Alhaji Murtala Sule Garo said multidimensional poverty remains one of the most critical issues confronting the Northwest.
He explained that poverty manifests not only in lack of income but also in limited access to education, healthcare, housing, clean water, sanitation, financial inclusion, and sustainable livelihoods.
According to him, addressing these interconnected challenges requires collective responsibility, innovation, and sustained collaboration among government institutions, development partners, and stakeholders.
Garo emphasized that the current administration views social protection not as charity, but as a strategic investment in human capital development. “Empowering vulnerable households through effective systems strengthens resilience, reduces inequality, and creates sustainable pathways out of poverty,” he said.
(Photo Credit: SARAKEE NG)
He added that the government continues to prioritize interventions targeting women, children, persons with disabilities, the elderly, and other vulnerable groups through investments in education, healthcare delivery, skills acquisition, youth empowerment, and social support programmes.
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The Deputy Governor also highlighted the importance of public-private partnerships, blended finance, improved domestic resource mobilization, and development financing as key drivers for expanding poverty reduction efforts across the state and region.
He commended the Office of the Vice President, the European Union, UNICEF, and other development partners for their continued support in strengthening social protection systems and expanding access to essential services.
Garo urged deeper collaboration among stakeholders, stressing the need to share best practices, embrace innovation, and scale up resource mobilization for inclusive development across the Northwest.
In his remarks, Sokoto State Deputy Governor Engr. Idris Muhammad Gobir, representing Governor Ahmed Aliyu, warned that rising poverty levels often fuel social vices, calling for urgent reforms and stronger engagement to address the out-of-school children crisis.
(Photo Credit: SARAKEE NG)
He also advocated targeted interventions to curb street begging through education and economic empowerment initiatives.
Earlier, the Director-General of the Northwest Governors Forum, Maryam Musa Yahaya, said the dialogue underscores a shared regional commitment to inclusive development, noting that insecurity, displacement, and vulnerability among women and children remain pressing concerns requiring coordinated action.