Initiative Begins Conditional Cash Transfer To Bauchi Schoolgirls

The Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) has commenced the disbursement of conditional cash transfer to 12,133 girls in Bauchi State.

The measure is designed  to improve school enrolment and retention in the state.

The state project coordinator of AGILE, Hajiya Ladi Muhammad Hamma, announced the development during a briefing of journalists in Bauchi.

She said the beneficiaries have started receiving the payments under the scheme.

Hamma said each enrolled girl is entitled to a support package of N60,000, with N40,000 already released to the first batch.

She explained that N15,000 is paid as registration support, while N25,000 covers transition costs for the first term. Subsequent payments of N10,000 each are conditional on at least 70 per cent school attendance, a measure designed to ensure sustained participation in education.

According to her, funds have been credited directly to beneficiaries’ bank accounts, while ATM cards are currently being distributed to facilitate easy access to the grants.

Beyond the cash incentive, AGILE is also pursuing infrastructure upgrades. Hamma disclosed that plans are underway to construct new schools across the state’s 20 local government areas, subject to the World Bank’s approval of prototype designs.

She further revealed that 1,203 secondary schools have been earmarked for renovation through School-Based Management Committees (SBMCs) to create safer and more conducive learning environments.

The coordinator called on parents and guardians to provide National Identification Numbers (NINs), birth certificates, and relevant bank details to ease enrollment and ensure the smooth implementation of the conditional cash transfer programme.

She also announced that 156 Technical Service Providers would undergo training on environmental and social safeguards ahead of the planned renovation works, with field activities expected to begin immediately after the exercise.

The AGILE intervention targets the reduction of out-of-school rates among girls, while addressing barriers such as poverty and early marriage that continue to threaten access to education.