Breaking: Uba Sani’s Financial Inclusion Drive Shines as Kaduna Hosts First Economic Summit
Governor Uba Sani’s bold economic vision took center stage on Tuesday as Kaduna State hosted the maiden Kaduna Economic and Financial Inclusion Summit (KEFIS 2025) — a landmark event that underscored his administration’s relentless push to empower the poor, vulnerable and underserved.
Held at Yar’Adua Hall, Murtala Square, the summit brought together leading voices in finance, development, and governance, all united by the success story emerging from Kaduna under the governor’s stewardship.
Hailed across the country as Nigeria’s Champion of Economic and Financial Inclusion, Governor Sani has transformed Kaduna into a model of inclusive governance, where growth is not just measured in GDP but in the number of lives uplifted.
“His leadership has not only stabilized security but also revived investor confidence and opened new frontiers for enterprise”, a professional accountant and associate of the governor, Abubakar Garba, noted.
The summit was formally declared open by Vice President Senator Kashim Shettima, GCON, who was represented by the Deputy Chief of Staff to the President (Office of the Vice President), Senator Ibrahim Hassan Hadejia.
Stakeholders said since signing the Executive Order on Financial Inclusion, Governor Uba Sani has driven a wave of reforms and innovations. They noted that his administration has facilitated the opening of over 2.5 million new bank accounts and the registration of approximately 7 million National Identification Numbers (NINs) — linking them seamlessly to BVNs, accounts, and cellphone numbers to ease financial access.
Reports have revealed that under his watch, Kaduna has disbursed over N18 billion in targeted interventions to nearly 1 million beneficiaries through agencies such as KADEDA, KADSIPA, the Cash Transfer Office, and the Planning and Budget Commission. These included direct cash support, fertilizers, agrochemicals, improved seeds, and agricultural equipment — tools that are enabling grassroots prosperity.
The summit revealed that the administration also empowered the Kaduna Residents Identity Management Agency (KADRIMA) to produce over 10,000 residency cards, helping residents verify their identities and access state and federal support programs.
“One of the most compelling endorsements of Governor Uba Sani’s strategy came through the Presidential Conditional Grant Scheme, where 23,382 Kaduna residents benefited from a total of N1.168 billion — the highest allocation secured due to the administration’s success in driving account openings and MSME registrations. Women, youths, the elderly, and persons with disabilities were prioritized, in line with Governor Sani’s inclusive agenda”, reports further confirmed.
Speakers at the summit praised the governor’s foresight, calling Kaduna a “financial inclusion laboratory” and urging other states to emulate his governance model.
“In Uba Sani, Kaduna has not only found a governor — it has found a reformer charting a bold new course for equity, inclusion, and people-first development”, said one the participants, Dr. Sadiq Mustapha, while speaking to newsmen on the sidelines of the event.
