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The Zamfara State Government has pledged to sustain donor-funded programs 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, Dr. Michael Juma, were in Zamfara for a 3-day field assessment visit from 16 to 18 February 2026.
A statement by the SSG’s spokesperson Sulaiman Ahmad Tudu, said this is the first time such a team from FCDO has visited the state.
The SSG said, “Your interventions in healthcare, nutrition, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), child protection, and education continue to save lives and strengthen systems across our state.”
Mr Nakwada saud, “Zamfara State is fully committed to ensuring the security, integrity, and sustainability of all donor-supported investments.
“In this regard, Governor Dauda Lawal has inaugurated the State Food and Nutrition Council to strengthen policy coordination, oversight, and multi-sectoral response on nutrition.
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“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 further 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.”
Also, the State Government has earmarked N2 billion as matching funds for child nutrition in 2026.
