By Umar Idris Shuaibu, Kano
The Director General of the North-West Governors’ Forum Secretariat, Hajiya Maryam Musa Yahaya, has emphasized the importance of regional cooperation in addressing multidimensional poverty and other development challenges confronting the North-West region.
Speaking during the High-Level North-West Policy Dialogue on Reducing Multidimensional Poverty Through Scaled Social Protection Systems and Innovative Financing held in Kano, Maryam Yahaya described the gathering as a critical platform for translating regional commitments into practical actions that improve the lives of citizens.
The dialogue, organized under the theme, “From Commitment to Implementation: Financing the Future of Every Child and Leaving No One in the North-West Behind,” brought together governors, policymakers, development partners, private sector representatives, civil society organizations, and traditional institutions from across the region.
In her welcome address, the Director General noted that despite the North-West’s vast human and economic potential, the region continues to face significant development challenges, including high levels of multidimensional poverty, insecurity, poor health outcomes, climate-related vulnerabilities, displacement, and a growing population of out-of-school children.
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She stressed that these challenges transcend state boundaries and therefore require coordinated regional responses.
According to her, social protection should not be viewed as a charitable intervention but as a strategic investment in human capital development, social stability, productivity, and long-term economic growth.
Maryam Yahaya explained that the dialogue forms part of the implementation framework of the North-West Peace, Security and Development Framework, a regional roadmap adopted by the governors to address the root causes of fragility while promoting sustainable development.
She highlighted the need for innovative financing mechanisms to complement government efforts, noting that fiscal constraints make it necessary to explore partnerships with the private sector, philanthropic organizations, development partners, and Islamic social finance institutions such as Zakat and Waqf.
The Director General also underscored the role of the North-West Governors’ Forum Secretariat in coordinating regional initiatives, supporting evidence-based policymaking, tracking commitments, and strengthening collaboration among member states.
She commended development partners, including the European Union, UNICEF, the United Nations, philanthropic organizations, and private sector stakeholders, for supporting efforts aimed at reducing poverty and strengthening social protection systems across the region.
Maryam Yahaya urged participants to focus on practical solutions and implementation, stressing that the success of the dialogue would be measured not by the quality of discussions alone but by the impact of agreed actions on the lives of vulnerable populations across the seven North-West states.
She called on governments, development partners, traditional institutions, civil society organizations, faith-based groups, and communities to work together in building a more prosperous, resilient, and inclusive North-West region.