Katsina State Governor, Dr. Dikko Radda, has announced that his administration has invested more than N120 billion in the education sector over the past two years.
He made this known during the signing ceremony of the Multi-Year Work Plan (2025–2027) between the state government and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), a partnership aimed at improving children’s access to education, healthcare, nutrition, and social services.
Governor Radda explained that the N120 billion investment spans the construction and renovation of classrooms, equipping science and technical schools, and hiring qualified teachers. He emphasized his administration’s focus on tackling the issue of out-of-school children by expanding access to quality education and launching youth empowerment initiatives.
“We are committed to reducing the number of out-of-school children by providing access to quality education and scholarships, particularly for tertiary students,” he said.
In the health sector, the governor highlighted key interventions, including the introduction of a Residency Training Program and sponsorship of medical students for foreign training. He also noted progress at the state’s Medical College, which now has students in their third year and is expected to graduate its first cohort of doctors in four years.
The state has also secured over $10 million worth of medical supplies from World Medical Relief and received 10 containers of advanced equipment—including MRI and CT scan machines—from Project CURE in the U.S.
Governor Radda listed other healthcare improvements such as the implementation of a cloud-based electronic health records system, biometric attendance for primary healthcare workers, and the upgrade of 158 Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) with new equipment, solar power, water supply, and tricycle ambulances.
Additionally, 361 motorcycles have been distributed to frontline health workers to enhance immunization efforts, and over ₦500 million has been committed in counterpart funding to combat acute malnutrition in partnership with UNICEF.
On the newly signed work plan, Radda reaffirmed the state’s commitment to meeting its obligations, including the provision of counterpart funding.
“We will do our part to make this collaboration effective, impactful, and result-oriented. We owe it to our people—especially our children—to ensure that every kobo invested delivers meaningful change,” he stated.
The Multi-Year Work Plan was jointly developed by the UNICEF Kano Field Office and relevant Katsina State ministries and agencies under the framework of the Federal Government–UNICEF Country Programme of Cooperation (2023–2027).
UNICEF’s Health Manager for the Kano Field Office, Dr. Serekeberehan Seyoum, praised the Katsina State Government for its strong commitment to child welfare.
“Under Your Excellency’s visionary leadership, this commitment has grown even stronger. The state continues to allocate resources to critical areas such as health, education, nutrition, and social protection,” Seyoum said.
He commended the state’s implementation of initiatives like the Hadaka Integrated Mobile Outreach and the MCH Track program, describing Katsina as “a leader in development-driven governance.”
Seyoum noted that the work plan represents a shared vision for a better future for children in the state, while urging the government to increase domestic resource allocation for key sectors. He also called for intensified efforts to combat polio and improve child-sensitive social protection programs.
“Community leaders, religious figures, and local government officials must be actively engaged and held accountable to ensure no child is left unvaccinated,” he added.
