Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal, has launched a conditional cash transfer programme targeting 8,225 vulnerable secondary school girls across the state’s 14 local government areas, in a bid to boost girl-child education and promote inclusive development.
The official flag-off ceremony, which took place on Wednesday in Gusau, the state capital, marked the beginning of disbursements under Zamfara’s partnership with the Agile Project (Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment) and ACReSAL (Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes).
Each of the beneficiaries will receive ₦40,000 initially, followed by ₦10,000 each for the second and third terms, totaling ₦60,000 per academic session. The programme’s first phase has already received ₦322 million in funding, with preparations underway to expand the initiative to a second batch.
According to a statement issued by the governor’s spokesperson, Sulaiman Bala Idris, the recipients were carefully selected from economically disadvantaged households to reduce the financial barriers preventing girls from accessing quality education.
In his keynote address at the ceremony, Governor Lawal emphasized the transformative impact of educating girls, stating:
“When you educate a girl, you educate a village, because these educated girls grow into empowered women who uplift their families, strengthen communities, and drive progress in our state.”
He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to removing economic, infrastructural, and social obstacles to girls’ education, adding that the initiative forms part of his broader agenda on education, social protection, and inclusive governance.
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The cash support programme aims to increase school enrollment, retention, and completion rates among adolescent girls in Zamfara — a state that has grappled with high rates of out-of-school children, poverty, and insecurity.
The initiative also complements the state’s long-term plan to improve female literacy, reduce gender inequality, and promote sustainable development goals (SDGs), particularly in education and gender equity.
In addition to the girls’ education grants, Governor Lawal also launched the Community Revolving Fund under the ACReSAL project for 500 beneficiaries in Gusau, Bungudu, and Kaura Namoda.
This fund is designed to support grassroots-level environmental, economic, and livelihood-enhancing initiatives, including climate resilience and sustainable agriculture.
“Our communities face multiple hardships—from women striving to build small businesses, to youths seeking opportunities, and rural households lacking basic services,” Lawal said.
“The Community Revolving Fund offers sustainable financing that will continue to circulate within communities and benefit more people over time.”
He urged beneficiaries to manage the resources transparently, emphasizing that the success of the revolving fund depends on repayment, accountability, and sustainable usage.
Governor Lawal praised the Ministries of Environment and Natural Resources, and Education, Science and Technology, as well as technical partners for their active roles in implementing both the cash transfer and community fund programmes.
“Let me reassure the good people of Zamfara State that this administration will continue to pursue policies and programmes that deliver meaningful grassroots impact. We remain steadfast in our commitment to accountability, transparency, and service.”
With these initiatives, the Lawal-led administration seeks to directly address the intersections of poverty, gender inequality, education deficit, and climate vulnerability in Zamfara.
The state government has positioned the programmes as flagship components of a pro-poor governance framework aimed at long-term human capital development.
