Earlier today, Vice President Senator Kashim Shettima, GCON, inaugurated Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State as a member of the Governing Board of the Presidential Committee on Economic and Financial Inclusion. Governor Sani will represent the entire Northern region on the board.
The Governing Board has been tasked with leading the country’s financial and economic inclusion initiatives. Recognizing financial inclusion as a key tool in addressing poverty and inequality, Governor Sani emphasized its importance in his administration. Upon assuming office in May 2023, his first Executive Order focused on financial inclusion, underscoring his commitment to leveraging financial services to uplift the underserved.
Under Kaduna State’s Financial Inclusion Programme, over 2 million bank accounts have been opened for poor and vulnerable individuals, enabling them to benefit from state and federal social intervention programs. Additionally, approximately 7 million National Identity Numbers (NINs) have been registered to facilitate the linkage of accounts, NINs, BVNs, and phone numbers, with a target of reaching 3 million linked identities by the end of 2025.
Through targeted interventions, more than ₦18 billion has been distributed to over 1 million accounts via agencies such as the Kaduna State Enterprises Development Agency (KADEDA) and the Kaduna State Social Investment Program Agency (KADSIPA). The state has also introduced Resident Cards for 10,000 residents, serving as both identification and ATM cards.
Moving forward, Governor Sani’s administration plans to continue sensitizing citizens on the benefits of financial inclusion. Efforts will be made to establish a sustainable framework that ensures financial inclusion remains a core element of Kaduna State’s development strategy.
As the Northern region’s representative on the committee, Governor Sani aims to extend Kaduna’s successful financial inclusion model across the North and Nigeria at large.
Members of the Presidential Committee on Economic and Financial Inclusion:
- Chairman: Vice President of Nigeria
- Deputy Chairman: Minister of Finance
- Members:
- Governor Uba Sani (Northern Representative)
- Governor of Enugu State (Southern Representative)
- Minister of Humanitarian Affairs
- Minister of Communication and Digital Economy
- National Security Adviser (NSA)
- Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)
- Deputy Chief of Staff to the President
- Private Sector Representative
- Technical Assistant to the President on Economic and Financial Inclusion (Secretary)
The inauguration marks a significant step in advancing financial and economic inclusion efforts across Nigeria.
