Kano launches ₦50,000 monthly empowerment scheme for 5,200 women
In a renewed effort to promote economic inclusion and tackle poverty, the administration of Governor Abba Kabiru Yusuf of Kano State has launched a women’s empowerment initiative that will provide ₦50,000 monthly support to 5,200 beneficiaries across the state’s 44 local government areas.
The programme, inaugurated at the Government House, Kano, on Tuesday, underscores the administration’s commitment to poverty reduction through the promotion of small and micro-enterprises and the advancement of women’s economic independence.
Governor Yusuf, who presided over the launch, said the initiative was designed to help women grow their businesses, stabilize household income, and contribute meaningfully to the state’s economic growth.
“This support is meant to empower women to expand small businesses and strengthen family welfare. Women are key drivers of social and economic progress, and our government remains committed to policies that enhance their productivity and self-reliance,” the governor said.
According to Yusuf, the beneficiaries were carefully selected to ensure fairness, equitable representation, and maximum community impact.
Also speaking at the event, Saadatu Yusha’u, chairperson of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Kano State Chapter, commended the initiative as a landmark step in grassroots empowerment. She lauded the governor’s prioritization of women’s welfare and urged beneficiaries to utilize the funds responsibly to transform their livelihoods and support the state’s development goals.
The event featured the symbolic presentation of empowerment funds to selected women from various local governments, marking the commencement of the monthly disbursements.
Kano State has continued to grapple with significant socio-economic challenges. In January 2025, Governor Yusuf noted that 62 percent of the state’s population lived below the poverty line. The 2022 Nigeria Multidimensional Poverty Index similarly reported that about 10.5 million residents in Kano were multi-dimensionally poor, one of the highest figures in the country.
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A 2020 report estimated that 48.2 percent of Kano’s population was in severe poverty, with 50.1 percent experiencing destitution. UNICEF’s recent assessment further revealed that 69.2 percent of children in the state suffer multidimensional poverty, facing deprivation in education, nutrition, and healthcare.
Data from the Overseas Development Institute (ODI) in 2020 placed the average annual household income in Kano at $1,384, with female-headed households earning $133 less than their male counterparts, highlighting the gender gap the new empowerment initiative seeks to bridge.
