Kano

A three day capacity building training on child poverty data generation, policy design, and implementation has been held in Dutse, Jigawa State, bringing together officials from social protection Ministries, Departments and Agencies in Kano State. Speaking at the session, the Officer in Charge of UNICEF Kano Field Office, Mr. Karanveer Singh, said the training aligns with UNICEF’s core mandate of improving the lives of children and eliminating child poverty. The training was organised by the Kano State Social Protection Agency (KASPA), with support from the UNICEF Kano Field Office as part of efforts to strengthen institutional capacity and improve child welfare outcomes. He emphasised that addressing child poverty requires a coordinated, multi sectoral approach, urging stakeholders to work together in changing the narrative. Read Also: Accurate Data, Accountability Key to Social Protection Success — UNICEF Social Protection Training Highlights Need for Data, Policy Review in Kano Kano, Katsina, Jigawa Record High Child Poverty Rates — UNICEF “There is need to stop depriving children of health, education, nutrition and housing. By doing so, we deprive the future and significantly affect the growth of the child. Every effort must be made to reach children who need support,” he said. Singh explained that bringing together different MDAs was aimed at strengthening collaboration and ensuring that children have access to essential services, including healthcare, education, nutrition, and safe housing. He called on participants to work collectively in delivering meaningful impact. In his presentation on the institutionalisation of social protection, retired Permanent Secretary from the Jigawa State Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, Aminu Adamu Ringim, described social protection as a critical economic development strategy for addressing societal challenges and safeguarding vulnerable populations. He stressed that a clear understanding of social protection concepts is essential for officials responsible for implementing policies and programmes, noting that such knowledge enhances effective service delivery and operational efficiency. Also speaking, a former Social Protection Coordinating Unit coordinator in Jigawa State urged participants to engage consistently with field implementers of social protection programmes to gain practical insights and address operational challenges. On financing, Director from the Kano State Ministry of Livestock, Dalhatu Danladi, highlighted the importance of sustainable funding for social protection programmes. He explained that social protection includes cash and in kind transfers, social insurance, and labour interventions targeted at vulnerable populations. Danladi noted that adequate financing ensures sustainability, expands coverage, strengthens resilience to economic, climate, and health shocks, and builds public trust in government systems. He called on government to increase budgetary allocations, while also encouraging private sector participation and support from development partners. The director further identified innovative financing options such as Zakat as a viable mechanism for domestic resource mobilisation, noting that it aligns with poverty reduction goals if supported by transparency and accountability frameworks. He, however, pointed out challenges including fragmented administration and weak data systems, urging stronger coordination and integration with social registries. Danladi also advocated for the adoption of budget tagging to track social protection expenditure, improve monitoring and evaluation, identify funding gaps, and strengthen policy alignment. He recommended partnerships between government and Zakat agencies, deployment of digital platforms for beneficiary payments, and real time monitoring systems to improve efficiency. The training is part of broader efforts to equip stakeholders with the knowledge and tools required to design and implement policies that will reduce child poverty and improve human development outcomes across Kano State and beyond.

Efforts to strengthen social protection systems in Kano State gained renewed emphasis as experts highlighted the central role of monitoring, evaluation, and accountability in ensuring effective programme delivery and measurable impact. The emphasis came during a three-day capacity-building training on child poverty data generation, policy design, and implementation held in Dutse, Jigawa State. The training was organised by the Kano State Social Protection Agency with support from the UNICEF Kano Field Office. Delivering a presentation on Monitoring and Evaluation in Social Protection, Ibrahim Ibrahim, a Monitoring and Evaluation specialist with UNICEF Kano Field Office, outlined core elements of effective M&E systems, including tracking results, measuring impact, and ensuring accountability. He explained that strong monitoring frameworks help implementers identify gaps, follow performance trends, and make evidence-based decisions. According to him, accountability remains central to addressing inefficiencies and leakages within implementation structures. Read Also: Social Protection Training Highlights Need for Data, Policy Review in Kano Kano, Katsina, Jigawa Record High Child Poverty Rates — UNICEF Kano Tricycle Unions Join Immunisation Drive as BOOST Mobilises 130 Leaders “If we are implementing effectively, we will know where the problems are coming from. It is accountability that will address those leakages,” he said. Ibrahim noted that the primary objective of monitoring systems is to track performance, strengthen accountability, identify bottlenecks, and guide programme and policy decisions. He stressed the importance of reliable and accurate data, warning against duplication and emphasising the need for proper justification of outcomes. “If a programme succeeds, we must understand why. If it fails, we must also explain why,” he added. The UNICEF expert further explained that data for monitoring and evaluation is drawn from Management Information Systems, spot checks, beneficiary surveys, and community-based monitoring processes. Participants were encouraged to strengthen data systems and adopt evidence-driven approaches to improve the delivery of social protection interventions across Kano State. The training forms part of broader efforts aimed at improving institutional performance and ensuring more effective implementation of policies designed to reduce poverty and enhance the welfare of vulnerable populations.

In a renewed effort to address the rising number of zero-dose and under-immunised children, tricycle union leaders in Kano State have pledged to support routine immunisation campaigns, following a sensitisation training organised under the BOOST Project. The engagement, which brought together over 130 leaders of the Kano State Tricycle Associations Forum, was held in Kano focused on mobilising transport operators as grassroots advocates for child immunisation. The training was implemented by Save the Children International with funding support from GlaxoSmithKline, in collaboration with the Kano State Community of Practice on Immunisation, Budget Tracking, Advocacy, and Accountability. The forum represents one of the largest male-dominated associations in the state, with an estimated membership of about 200,000 operators. Speaking at the session, the BOOST Project Advocacy Officer, Umar Ibrahim, said the initiative was designed to leverage trusted community platforms to improve access to life-saving vaccines. He noted that tricycle operators interact daily with passengers and families, placing them in a strategic position to influence attitudes and promote vaccine acceptance, particularly in underserved communities. Read Also: Nigeria Records Over 2 Million Zero-Dose Children, Ranks Among Highest Globally — Save the Children BOOST Project Strengthens Community Mobilisation Through Kano Tricycle Associations Forum Kano, Katsina, Jigawa Record High Child Poverty Rates — UNICEF Participants were taken through key aspects of routine immunisation, including schedules, benefits, and the urgent need to address barriers such as resistance from male household heads, which continues to affect uptake across parts of the state. In his remarks, the State Chairman of the Amalgamated Commercial Tricycle Owners and Riders Association of Nigeria (ACOMORON), Abdulkarim Yusuf, assured that members of the union would support the campaign by promoting immunisation awareness among passengers and within their communities. Also speaking, the Chairman of the Kano State Community of Practice on Accountability, Salisu Yusuf, emphasised the need for sustained collaboration among government agencies, civil society organisations, and community stakeholders to improve health outcomes. At the end of the engagement, the union leaders signed a commitment statement, affirming their resolve to champion routine immunisation within their networks. The commitments include promoting awareness, identifying and referring zero-dose children, encouraging male participation in immunisation efforts, and supporting the development of a Kano State-specific immunisation policy. They also pledged to integrate immunisation advocacy into their routine activities and meetings, while working closely with implementing partners to track progress and ensure accountability. The initiative forms part of broader interventions under the BOOST Project, Better Opportunities for Optimal Services and Targeted Immunisation for Zero-Dose and Under-Immunised Children, which aims to strengthen routine immunisation coverage, improve accountability systems, and expand access to essential vaccines across Nigeria.