Kaduna state Governor Uba Sani promised his administration will lift millions out of poverty through aggressive financial inclusion policies by opening three million new bank accounts by the end of 2025.
Governor Sani made the promise while speaking at the Kaduna Economic and Financial Inclusion Summit (KEFIS 2025), themed “Expanding Financial Access for Sustainable Development”, on Wednesday in Kaduna.
The governor disclosed that over 2.5 million accounts have already been opened, and nearly seven million citizens 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.”
The governor said Kaduna’s rural population, which makes up 70 to 75 per cent of the unbanked, is at the centre of the state’s inclusion drive.
“About 3.5 million people in Kaduna were outside the financial system as of 2023,” he revealed.
‘’This exclusion hindered economic growth and left many vulnerable groups disenfranchised from the benefits of modern financial systems,’’ he added.
Recounting his experience as former chairman of the Senate Committee on Banking and Financial Institutions, Governor Sani said that he sponsored the Banking and Other Financial Institutions Act (BOFIA) 2020.
Governor Sani pointed out that the law brought fintechs under Central Bank regulation, enabling digital financial services to reach underserved areas.
