Sokoto State Governor’s wife, Hajiya Fatima Aliyu, on Thursday launched the disbursement of cash support to 41,821 female students under the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) project.
The disbursement, which is part of a Conditional Cash Transfer programme, is aimed at advancing girl-child education in Sokoto State. The initiative is designed to provide financial support for adolescent girls to overcome economic challenges and continue their education without interruption.
Aliyu explained that the initiative was already playing a major role in addressing the problem of out-of-school children in Nigeria. “I am pleased to learn that the AGILE project is significantly contributing to reducing the burden of out-of-school children in our communities by increasing secondary school enrolment among adolescent girls in Nigeria. It is on the strength of the impact of the project that more states are benefiting from education support. By educating girls, AGILE is helping to build a more just and prosperous society,” she said.
She further urged the beneficiaries and their families to ensure judicious use of the funds by attending school and focusing on their studies.
In her remark, the National Coordinator of AGILE, Ms Fatima Buba-Haruna, described the Conditional Cash Transfer as a vital strategy to boost enrolment, retention, and transition of girls in public secondary schools. She said the initiative would deliver long-term benefits and transform the lives of many girls across the country.
“The success of AGILE also reaffirms the commitment of the administration of President Bola Tinubu, under the Renewed Hope Agenda, to focus on education as an essential pillar of development by providing unhindered access to quality education for every Nigerian child. AGILE showcased empowerment of girls through education and celebration of talents, creativity, and excellence of Nigerian children. The additional financing to other states is a testament to the project’s impact and a bold step toward deepening its reach and sustainability,” she said.
Buba-Haruna added that the expansion of the project would empower more girls and broaden innovative interventions that were already reshaping learning outcomes and promoting social inclusion for adolescent girls across Nigeria.
The Programme Coordinator, Dr Mansur Isa-Buhari, outlined achievements under the project, stating that 749 classrooms were renovated, 11,221 students’ desks provided, and 214 solar-powered boreholes installed across schools. He also noted that 1,652 toilet facilities were constructed, 4,480 trees planted in school environments, and 11,325 adolescent girls enrolled in safe space activities.
According to him, 97,446 teaching and learning materials were distributed, while 2,240 School-Based Management Committee members were trained to strengthen accountability and responsibilities under the programme. “Our mission is not just to get children into school, but to ensure they learn, grow, and thrive in safe, inclusive, and stimulating environments,” he said.
Isa-Buhari commended Governor Ahmad Aliyu for his support in ensuring the success of the project and encouraged parents to make sure their daughters attend school regularly. He stressed that before the end of the project, about 200,000 girls were expected to benefit across the state.
A cross-section of parents described the AGILE project as a beacon of hope for adolescent girls in Sokoto, urging communities to support the initiative fully.