In a bold step to promote girl-child education and strengthen grassroots livelihoods, Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal has launched a conditional cash transfer programme benefiting 8,225 secondary school girls across the state’s 14 Local Government Areas.
The initiative, unveiled at the Garba Nadama Hall in Gusau, offers direct financial support to girls from vulnerable households, with each recipient set to receive ₦40,000 in the first phase. Additional ₦10,000 payments for the second and third terms will bring total annual support to ₦60,000 per girl, channelled through parents or guardians to aid school retention and completion.
Governor Lawal said the programme is anchored in the state’s partnership with the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) and the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE), both of which are supported by international development partners.
According to the governor, ₦322 million has been disbursed for the first batch of beneficiaries, with plans already in motion for a second round of support.
“Our administration remains committed to dismantling the barriers—economic, infrastructural or social—that prevent girls in Zamfara from accessing and completing their education. Educating girls is a catalyst for community development,” he stated.
In addition to the cash transfer programme, Governor Lawal also launched the Community Revolving Fund under the ACReSAL project. This initiative targets 500 beneficiaries in Gusau, Bungudu, and Kaura Namoda, offering financial support for small businesses, agriculture, and environmental protection efforts.
Describing the revolving fund as a sustainable intervention, Lawal urged beneficiaries to manage the funds responsibly. “This fund is designed to offer sustainable financial support at the grassroots, creating local accountability and driving resilience,” he said.
The governor acknowledged the support of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, and other implementing agencies for their commitment to advancing the ACReSAL and AGILE projects.
He reaffirmed that education and social protection will remain central to his administration’s development agenda, as the state works to tackle poverty, environmental challenges, and the growing out-of-school children crisis.
The ACReSAL and AGILE projects in Zamfara form part of wider efforts to build climate resilience and promote inclusive education in Nigeria’s semi-arid northern states.
