Emir Sanusi Urges North-West States to Adopt Long-Term Strategy Against Poverty
The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, has called on governments across the North-West to adopt a long-term social investment framework with dedicated funding for education, healthcare, social protection, and child development programmes to address the region’s growing poverty challenge.
Sanusi made the call on Wednesday during the second day of the North-West Policy Dialogue on Reducing Multidimensional Poverty through Skilled Social Protection Systems and Innovative Financing, held in Kano.
The monarch warned that short-term interventions and periodic palliatives would not provide lasting solutions to the region’s socio-economic challenges, including poverty, poor health outcomes, malnutrition, and low educational attainment.
According to him, the North-West requires a comprehensive and sustainable social policy framework capable of supporting vulnerable groups such as women, children, persons living with disabilities, and displaced populations.
He urged state governments to create dedicated budget provisions for social safety nets, early childhood development, girls’ education, youth skills acquisition, and adult literacy programmes, stressing that investment in human capital remains the most effective pathway to reducing poverty.
Sanusi also advocated the use of innovative financing mechanisms, including Islamic social finance tools such as Zakat, Waqf, and Sukuk, to complement government resources and ensure sustainable funding for poverty reduction initiatives.
“The North-West requires states that plan across electoral cycles, build institutions rather than programmes, and make decisions today knowing that the full benefits will be felt by future generations,” he said.
Vice President Kashim Shettima, represented by Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, said social protection has become a key component of the Federal Government’s development strategy, noting that poverty extends beyond income deprivation to include limited access to education, healthcare, and economic opportunities.
He highlighted challenges facing the region, including out-of-school children, maternal mortality, child malnutrition, and insecurity, and called for coordinated action backed by sustainable financing mechanisms.
Also speaking, Chairman of the North-West Governors’ Forum and Governor of Katsina State, Dikko Radda, represented by his deputy, Faruk Lawal, emphasized the need for greater investment in education, healthcare, nutrition, agriculture, and social protection to tackle multidimensional poverty.
Development partners at the event reaffirmed their commitment to supporting poverty reduction efforts across the region.
The European Union Ambassador to Nigeria, Gautier Mignot, pledged continued support for initiatives aimed at eradicating extreme poverty, while UNICEF Nigeria Representative, Wafaa Saeed, called for increased domestic financing, stronger private sector participation, and inclusive policies to address inequalities affecting vulnerable populations.
The dialogue, themed “From Commitment to Implementation: Financing the Future of Every Child and Leaving No One in the North-West Behind,” was organised by the North-West Governors’ Forum in collaboration with the Federal Government and supported by UNICEF, the European Union, and other development partners.
