The Kaduna State Governor in northwest Nigeria, Uba Sani, has emphasised that financial inclusion and education are critical to addressing the security and other challenges facing Northern Nigeria.
Governor Sani announced while declaring open a two-day interactive session on government-citizen engagement in Kaduna State, North-West Nigeria, which is attended by northern governors.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s efforts in healthcare are equally transformative. More than a thousand primary health care centres across Northern Nigeria have been revitalised. In agriculture — long the economic lifeblood of the North — we are witnessing a quiet revolution.… pic.twitter.com/1DQlkP7TL3
— Senator Uba Sani (@ubasanius) July 29, 2025
He lamented that insecurity has had devastating impacts on the northern region, making people more vulnerable than ever; hence, the need for a holistic approach to address the challenge.
“As former Chairman of the Senate Committee on Banking and Financial Institutions, I foresaw that deepening financial inclusion would be critical. I championed the BOFIA Act of 2020, bringing fintech under formal regulation and laying a foundation for the digital economy. And as Governor, I issued an Executive Order to formally integrate 2.5 million of our most vulnerable residents into the financial system. We collaborate with banks, fintechs, civil society, and global partners such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to preserve and expand that momentum,” he said.
According to the Governor, insecurity stems from exclusion, educational deprivation, and long-standing policy neglect. “In that vacuum, extremism and criminality have taken root.
“Let us speak plainly: we, the leaders of Northern Nigeria, must take responsibility for a history of failed transformation. We tolerated tokenism instead of pursuing tangible change. We neglected broad-based development. We allowed our youth to languish in hopelessness. We failed to harness our human capital. The challenges in the North today are deeply rooted and trace back decades. The region has suffered from years of neglect, policy inconsistency, and weak governance structures.
“While the Tinubu administration bears the responsibility to find solutions, it is unjust and politically misleading to place the entire blame for this crisis on an administration that inherited these long-standing problems,” he stressed.
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Strong Collaboration
Governor Sani affirmed that recent transformational achievements were made possible through strong collaboration between the federal and state governments.
The improvements we are witnessing in security, education, economic inclusion, health, infrastructure, and agriculture are not isolated interventions. They are part of a coherent vision for national renewal championed by President Tinubu through his Renewed Hope Agenda.
“Across the North, infrastructure is being reborn. We are reimagining education not simply as literacy but as empowerment. President Tinubu’s 3 Million Technical Talent initiative is training youths in digital and technical skills. Meanwhile, our own agricultural colleges and technical institutes are aligning education with livelihoods. We are not just preparing future employees, we are cultivating job creators.”
He urged participants at the forum to seize the opportunity to generate practical solutions to the challenges faced by the region.
“Let this conference be remembered not for rhetoric but for the resolve it inspires. Let it mark the dawn of a renewed national commitment — to the integrity of promises, the sincerity of performance, and the vitality of citizen engagement in governance.
“Across the sectors of security, education, health, infrastructure, agriculture, and inclusion, the pledges made by President Tinubu’s administration are being honoured through bold, tangible outcomes. Certainly, more work remains, and distances still lie ahead. But the path is clear, and the destination is in sight.”
Government officials emphasised that electoral pledges are not mere campaign rhetoric to be forgotten after the votes are counted—they are solemn covenants, expressions of aspiration, hope, and duty.
Hauwa Abu