Gov Abba Yusuf Splashes N290m Grants on 5,800 Kano Women Across 44 LGAs to Beat Poverty and Kickstart Small Businesses

Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf has launched the disbursement of ₦50,000 non-refundable cash grants to 5,800 women drawn from all 44 Local Government Areas of the state, releasing ₦290 million into grassroots communities to tackle household poverty and boost micro-businesses.

The financial relief exercise, executed under the administration’s Monthly Women’s Empowerment and Poverty Relief Programme, was flagged off during a ceremony held at the Open Arena of Government House, Kano. The initiative targets underprivileged mothers, widows, and small-scale traders across both rural and urban council areas, seeking to provide direct working capital to informal entrepreneurs squeezed by economic headwinds.

Addressing the beneficiaries, Governor Yusuf disclosed that the intervention has been a central pillar of his social welfare framework since he took office. He dismissed concerns over funding shortfalls, giving a firm guarantee that financial allocations have been sequestered to ensure the monthly disbursements continue uninterrupted through December.

The governor urged the recipients to resist the temptation of spending the funds on short-term domestic consumption, emphasizing that the financial grant is intended to serve as a seed investment for sustainable livelihoods. Beneficiaries were encouraged to deploy the money into proven micro-ventures, including local grain processing, groundnut oil extraction, baking, and retail petty trading. Local government committees assigned to supervise the program were instructed to ensure transparent, immediate handovers of the cash to selected recipients across all council areas.

Speaking on behalf of President Bola Tinubu, the Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory, Dr. Mariya Bunkure, commended the state administration for prioritizing women’s financial inclusion. Bunkure noted that improving female access to liquid capital creates an immediate multiplier effect on household nutrition, basic healthcare, and child education, describing the governor’s sustained interventions as a practical demonstration of inclusive governance.

Backing the initiative, Kano State Deputy Governor Murtala Sule-Garo stated that the government remains focused on translating governance into tangible dividends for citizens across health, education, and rural livelihoods.

Royal fathers also threw their weight behind the cash rollout. The Emir of Gaya, Dr. Aliyu Ibrahim-Abdulkadir, expressed the support of the traditional council, appealing to the beneficiaries to manage the grants prudently to build long-term economic independence and uplift their family welfare.