FIC Report (Kaduna State) – The Deputy Governor of Kaduna State, Her Excellency Dr. Hadiza Sabuwa Balarabe, on behalf of Governor Senator Dr. Uba Sani, CON, attended the North-West Stakeholders Development Summit organized by the Joint Senate and House Committees on the North-West Development Commission and held at the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua Conference Centre in Kaduna.
Dr. Balarabe, attention was drawn to the complex development challenges facing the North-West, which he noted require coordination, scale, and precise institutional alignment to be effectively addressed.
Governor Uba Sani commended the summit’s theme, “Advancing a Coordinated Regional Development Agenda for North-West Nigeria,” describing it as a timely reflection of the region’s shared needs and aspirations.
Sani pointed out that as for too long, development planning in our region has been pursued in silos, emphasizing that the common geography, history, culture, and economic interdependence of North-West states make collaboration not only desirable but necessary.
He stressed the importance of harnessing the region’s youthful population as a driver of development, noting that the demographic reality presents both an urgent challenge and a significant opportunity.
He added that We can invest deliberately in education, skills, and productive opportunities, thereby transforming our youthful population into a demographic dividend. Or we can fail to act, allowing frustration, unemployment, and social dislocation to undermine stability.
Governor Sani noted that development outcomes improve when institutions collaborate, and policies are guided by evidence and inclusiveness.
He described the North-West Development Commission as a strategic partner to state governments, capable of harmonizing priorities, reducing duplication, and unlocking economies of scale across the region.
In his welcome remarks, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on the North-West Development Commission, Senator Babangida Hussaini, Walin Kazaure, lamented the decline of the region’s once-thriving agricultural and industrial heritage, including the famed groundnut pyramids, cotton production, and textile industries.
He observed that the region is now confronted with high poverty rates and a large population of out-of-school children.
Senator Hussaini further warned that persistent insecurity continues to hamper agricultural productivity and drive capital flight from the region.
Signed:
Muhammad Gwani
AD FIRC Kaduna
31st January,2026
