Sokoto Partners With UNICEF On Programme-Based Budgeting

Sokoto State Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, in partnership with UNICEF, has commenced a five-day intensive training workshop on Programme-Based Budgeting.

The workshop, holding in Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State, aims to transit the state’s budgeting approach from traditional to programme-based.

Declaring the workshop open yesterday, the commissioner for budget and economic planning Dr. Abubakar Muhammad Zayyana, expressed gratitude to Governor Dr. Ahmed Aliyu of Sokoto State for his unwavering support and commitment in moving the state to the next level.

While appreciating UNICEF for its continuous support to state, he highlighted the importance of programme-based budgeting in promoting efficiency, effectiveness and accountability in public spending.

Dr. Zayyana noted that the training marked a new era for Sokoto State in its 2026 annual budget preparation and aligned with the requirements of the State Fiscal Transparency Accountability (SFTA).

According to him, the workshop is a clear indication that Sokoto State is poised to enhance its budgeting approach, prioritising result- oriented spending that benefits the state’s most vulnerable populations, particularly women and children, which is what UNICEF is yearning for.

He also emphasised the state’s commitment to increasing budgetary allocation to child-sensitive sectors, as outlined in the nine-point SMaRt Agenda of Governor Ahmad Aliyu.