*Represents Governor Uba Sani at National Poverty Graduation Roundtable By; FUNMI ADERINTO, Kaduna Kaduna State has once again, taken the
*Represents Governor Uba Sani at National Poverty Graduation Roundtable
By; FUNMI ADERINTO, Kaduna
Kaduna State has once again, taken the lead in Nigeria’s efforts to tackle poverty head-on, as Deputy Governor Dr. Hadiza Sabuwa Balarabe on Wednesday, represented Governor Uba Sani at the Nigeria Poverty Graduation Roundtable, held in Kaduna.
Speaking on behalf of the Governor, Dr. Balarabe declared that poverty is not an inevitable condition but a challenge that can be overcome through deliberate policies, evidence-based interventions, and strong partnerships.
“Poverty is neither natural nor immutable,” she said. “It is a condition that can be transformed through intentional policy, strategic partnerships, and sustained leadership.”
The high-level roundtable, themed “From Pilot to Policy: Building Pathways for National Scale-Up,” brought together key stakeholders including members of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, the National Social Safety Net Coordinating Office (NASSCO), civil society organisations, development partners, and private sector actors to chart a new course for sustainable poverty alleviation through the Graduation Approach.
Representing the Governor, Dr. Balarabe highlighted the official launch of the Kaduna State Ultra-Poor Graduation Programme (KADUPGP) as a landmark step in transforming the state’s approach to poverty reduction. She described the initiative as a “home-grown, evidence-informed solution” that merges social protection with economic inclusion to permanently lift households out of extreme poverty.
“At its heart,” she noted, “the graduation model is a philosophy of dignity — helping people rise on their own terms and remain above the poverty threshold permanently.”
Under Governor Uba Sani’s leadership, Kaduna has established strong institutional frameworks and robust targeting systems for the programme, with support from international partners such as BRAC International, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA).
Dr. Balarabe emphasized that Nigeria must move beyond short-term palliatives to long-term systems that empower citizens to create sustainable livelihoods.
“Temporary relief must give way to productive inclusion,” she asserted.
She outlined five strategic pillars to guide Nigeria’s poverty graduation agenda:Institutional integration, Sustainable financing, Data and systems strengthening, Gender and youth empowerment, Evidence-driven policymaking.
According to her, these pillars form the foundation of a scalable and effective national model for poverty reduction.
The Deputy Governor called for stronger collaboration among federal and state governments, development partners, the private sector, and civil society to institutionalize the Graduation Approach within Nigeria’s social protection framework.
“No government can do it alone,” she said. “When partnerships work in harmony, poverty reduction becomes a national movement — not just a project.”
She reaffirmed Kaduna State’s readiness to continue leading the charge under Governor Uba Sani’s administration, pledging to pursue policies “with urgency, rigour, and compassion.”
“Poverty is not destiny,” she declared. “It yields to deliberate policy, evidence-driven action, and the collective will of a determined people.”
Earlier, the Country Director of Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA), Mrs. Funmilayo Ayeni, commended Kaduna’s leadership for its bold steps, describing the KADUPGP as “a landmark initiative and a model for the nation.”
She praised the Kaduna State Planning and Budget Commission (KADSIPA) team led by Alhaji Umar Maikudi and Barrister Bridget Aisen Suleman for their commitment and professionalism.
The roundtable also served as a knowledge-sharing forum, featuring expert panel discussions on global best practices, data-driven insights, and case studies to inform Nigeria’s national scale-up strategy. Participants particularly emphasized the need for inclusivity — ensuring women, youth, and persons with disabilities benefit from the graduation programmes.
With the successful launch of KADUPGP and renewed momentum for national adoption, the Kaduna roundtable may well be remembered as a turning point in Nigeria’s journey to end chronic poverty — not through charity, but through dignity and empowerment.
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