KATSINA — Vice-President Kashim Shettima has flagged off the disbursement of the Community Investment Fund under the Nigeria for Women Programme Scale-Up Project in Katsina State.
More than 40,000 women are expected to benefit from the programme, which is designed to provide business capital to eligible Women Affinity Groups across the state.
The development was reported by The PUNCH at 12:19am on Monday, October 5, 2026. Channels Television also reported the flag-off on Sunday.
Speaking at the ceremony in Katsina, Shettima said the beneficiaries had fulfilled the conditions required to participate in the programme through their savings and activities within their respective Women Affinity Groups.
The Vice-President urged beneficiaries to use the funds responsibly, keep proper financial records and maintain the culture of savings that qualified them for the intervention.
Governor Dikko Radda, who also spoke at the event, said the state government had committed more than N4 billion to the programme.
According to Radda, Katsina’s counterpart funding helped expand the initiative from six local government areas to all 34 local government areas in the state.
The governor said the fund would provide additional capital to women to establish new businesses, expand existing enterprises and strengthen their economic activities.
A representative of the World Bank, Matthew Verghis, said investment in women could contribute significantly to Nigeria’s economic growth.
The programme is being implemented across several states under the Nigeria for Women Programme Scale-Up initiative, with the World Bank supporting the intervention.
The Katsina government said disbursement to eligible groups would continue in phases.
