By Austine Agbo Emmanuel, Kaduna
Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State has unveiled an ambitious plan to reduce poverty through a sweeping financial inclusion initiative aimed at opening three million new bank accounts by the end of 2025.
Speaking at the 2025 Kaduna Economic and Financial Inclusion Summit (KEFIS), held under the theme “Expanding Financial Access for Sustainable Development”, the governor said his administration was committed to ensuring broader access to banking services as a strategy to empower citizens economically.
He revealed that over 2.5 million bank accounts have already been created and that approximately seven million Kaduna residents have registered for the National Identification Number (NIN), a step he said is vital for expanding financial access across the state.
“Financial inclusion is not just a policy goal but a tool to empower individuals and communities, break the cycle of poverty, and uplift livelihoods,” he stated.
Governor Sani noted that the state’s rural population, which accounts for about 70 to 75 percent of the unbanked, remains the primary focus of the campaign.
He cited data showing that as of 2023, roughly 3.5 million people in Kaduna were excluded from formal financial systems—an issue he said impedes economic growth and marginalizes vulnerable populations.
Drawing on his legislative experience, Governor Sani recalled sponsoring the Banking and Other Financial Institutions Act (BOFIA) 2020 during his tenure as chairman of the Senate Committee on Banking and Financial Institutions.
He said the legislation brought financial technology firms under the regulatory oversight of the Central Bank, allowing digital services to reach remote and underserved communities.
