Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State has pledged to lift millions of residents out of poverty through an ambitious financial inclusion strategy. This strategy includes opening three million new bank accounts by the end of 2025.
The governor made this commitment while speaking at the Kaduna Economic and Financial Inclusion Summit (KEFIS 2025), held in Kaduna under the theme “Expanding Financial Access for Sustainable Development.”
He revealed that over 2.5 million bank accounts have already been opened, and nearly seven million residents have registered for National Identification Numbers (NIN) to facilitate access to financial services.
“True financial inclusion means giving individuals and communities the tools to participate meaningfully in the economy, break free from poverty, and improve their standard of living,” he said.
Governor Sani noted that as of 2023, approximately 3.5 million people in Kaduna were excluded from the formal financial system, an exclusion that hampered economic growth and denied vulnerable populations access to modern financial tools.
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Reflecting on his time as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Banking and Financial Institutions, he recounted sponsoring the Banking and Other Financial Institutions Act (BOFIA) 2020. According to him, the legislation brought fintech companies under the regulatory oversight of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), enabling digital financial services to reach previously underserved populations.
“Since fintechs came under CBN regulation, a great deal has changed. They now provide mobile banking, credit, and donor-funded programmes to those previously excluded,” he said.
Governor Sani added that his administration institutionalised financial inclusion through the Kaduna State Financial Inclusion Executive Order, which established a dedicated state committee and introduced targeted interventions.
He disclosed that over ₦18 billion had been distributed directly into beneficiaries’ accounts via cash transfers and input support programmes coordinated by agencies such as KADEDA, KADSIPA, and the State Planning and Budget Commission.
“The signing of the Financial Inclusion Order in 2023 was a landmark step towards economic empowerment and social equity,” he said, noting that the policy led to a 19% rise in financially served adults from 45% in 2022 to 64% in 2024. This included a 9% increase in newly banked individuals and 10% accessing other formal financial services.
The governor also highlighted the role of financial inclusion in supporting Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), which he described as critical to job creation and economic stability.
He further announced his recent appointment to the Governing Board of the Presidential Committee on Economic and Financial Inclusion (PreCEFI), where he represents Northern Nigeria—an acknowledgement of Kaduna’s leading role in financial empowerment.
