Kaduna state governor, Senator Uba Sani, has said that he will open 3 million bank accounts for unbanked residents in 2025, to lift millions out of poverty through aggressive financial inclusion policies. Sani spoke at the Kaduna Economic and Financial Inclusion Summit (KEFIS 2025), themed ‘Expanding financial success for sustainable development,’ on Wednesday. The governor said over 2.5 million accounts have been opened, and nearly seven million citizens have registered for national identification numbers (NIN) to facilitate financial access.“True financial inclusion is about granting individuals and communities the means to participate meaningfully in the economy, break the cycle of poverty, and elevate their quality of life,” he said.
Sani explained that Kaduna’s rural population, which makes up 70 to 75 percent of the unbanked, is at the centre of the state’s financial inclusion drive.
“About 3.5 million people in Kaduna were outside the financial system as of 2023,” he noted.
‘“This exclusion hindered economic growth and left many vulnerable groups disenfranchised from the benefits of modern financial systems.”
As former chairman of the senate committee on banking and financial institutions, Sani recounted sponsoring the Banking and Other Financial Institutions Act (BOFIA) 2020, which brought fintechs under Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) regulation, enabling digital financial services to reach underserved areas.
“A lot has happened since fintechs came under the CBN’s regulatory oversight. They are now reaching people formerly outside the financial system,” he said.
Sani also highlighted how fintechs have enabled access to mobile banking, credit, and donor programmes.
Sani said his administration has institutionalised financial inclusion through the Kaduna state financial inclusion executive order, forming a state committee, and implementing targeted interventions.
He said over N18 billion was channelled into accounts via direct cash transfers and input distributions through agencies like KADEDA, KADSIPA, and the planning and budget commission.
“The signing of the Financial Inclusion Order in 2023 marked a significant moment in our journey toward economic empowerment and social equity,” the governor said.
He further explained that the policy saw a 19 percent increase in financially served adults, rising from 45 percent in 2022 to 64 percent in 2024, with about 9 percent new banked population and 10 percent accessing other formal financial services.
Sani noted that Kaduna’s inclusion strategy actively supports micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), critical to job creation.
“We are fostering a vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem where MSMEs can grow, create employment opportunities, and contribute to the economy of Kaduna State,” he said.
The governor said his policies have yielded a visible economic impact, reducing poverty rates and income inequality.
“In Kaduna State, we believe in a comprehensive approach to tackling insecurity. Financial inclusion is addressing the root causes of insecurity, unemployment and inequality,” he added.
The governor credited partnerships with banks like United Bank for Africa (UBA), Jaiz Bank, Zenith Bank, and Fidelity Bank, fintechs like Moniepoint and Momo, and global development partners like the Gates Foundation for pivotal progress, which he said is streamlining NIN enrollment and supporting digital payment systems.
He said Kaduna has been selected by the office of the vice-president as a pilot state for a national financial inclusion initiative, under which the state will allocate 5,000 hectares for an in-grower scheme, offering input support and product-based repayments to rural farmers.
“This approach is tailored to empower rural communities and integrate them into the formal financial system,” he explained.
Sani added that he recently received an appointment to the Presidential Committee on Economic and Financial Inclusion (PreCEFI) Governing Board, representing northern Nigeria, which acknowledges Kaduna’s leadership in financial empowerment.