The Zamfara State Government has pledged to sustain donor-funded programmes beyond their funding cycles in the state. The Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Abubakar Mohammad Nakwada, made the commitment during a coordination meeting with delegations from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in Gusau, the state capital.
The delegations, led by the Head of Lake Chad Basin, Elizabeth McGarva (FCDO), and UNICEF’s Chief of Field Office, Sokoto, Michael Juma, were in Zamfara for a 3-day field assessment visit from 16th to 18th February 2026. This is the first time such a team from FCDO has visited the state.
Mr Nakwada stated: “I warmly welcome the FCDO High-Level Mission and our valued partners to this important coordination meeting.
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“I also convey His Excellency’s heartfelt appreciation to the FCDO and UNICEF for their unwavering support to the Government and people of Zamfara State, particularly our most vulnerable populations—women, children, and internally displaced communities.
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“Your interventions in healthcare, nutrition, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), child protection, and education continue to save lives and strengthen systems across our State,” the SSG added.
Mr Nakwada stated declared that the state government is committed to ensuring security, accountability, and sustainability of all the donor-funded programs in the state, stressing that the government is mindful that one day, the tap will go dry.
“Zamfara State is fully committed to ensuring the security, integrity, and sustainability of all donor-supported investments. In this regard, Governor Lawal has inaugurated the State Food and Nutrition Council to strengthen policy coordination, oversight, and multi-sectoral response on nutrition.
“Also, the State Government is establishing an Aid Diversion and Accountability Committee, with technical support from UNICEF, to strengthen monitoring, traceability, and compliance mechanisms for all donor-supported commodities and infrastructure,” he said.
The SSG equally highlighted the financial commitment made by the State Government to strengthen the partnerships.
“Our partnership is not only programmatic; it is financial and structural. In 2024, Zamfara State released N1.1 billion as counterpart funding for UNICEF-supported interventions. The State government also released N500 million as matching funds for child nutrition programmes in 2025.
“In our approved 2026 Budget, Health, Education, and Social Protection remain top priorities, aligning with our 10-Year State Strategic Development Plan (2025–2034) and our transition to Programme/Result-Based Budgeting, adopted in collaboration with UNICEF beginning in 2025”, Mr Nakwada highlighted.
Additionally, he disclosed that the State Government has earmarked N2 billion as matching funds for child nutrition in 2026.
On manpower, he said Governor Lawal has approved the recruitment of 800 midwives, nurses, and community health workers. He added that the state government will also absorb nutrition graduates from the State College of Health Sciences and Technology, Tsafe, to manage the state’s nutrition programmes.
While appreciating the unprecedented support the Zamfara State Government has been receiving from the FCDO, UNICEF, and other development partners, the SSG has also appealed for more partnerships, especially in the areas of victim support, addressing out-of-school children, strengthening Almajiri education system, and skills development.
