Jigawa Governor Namadi and UNICEF chief Ur‑Rehman pledge deeper partnership for child welfare

Governor Umar Namadi of Nigeria’s Jigawa State received Shafeeq Ur‑Rehman, the newly appointed chief of UNICEF’s Kano Field Office, at the Government House in Dutse. The two leaders affirmed a plan to deepen the longstanding partnership between the state and UNICEF, aiming to boost child welfare, social protection and overall human development.

The collaboration, which began shortly after Jigawa’s creation in 1991, has already contributed to improvements in health, nutrition, basic education, water‑sanitation‑hygiene (WASH), child protection and social policy. Recent discussions at the North‑West High‑Level Policy Dialogue on reducing multidimensional poverty were cited as aligning with the state’s Greater Jigawa Vision and the governor’s 12‑Point Agenda. Notable achievements highlighted include a marked decline in moderate and severe malnutrition in the 2023‑2024 Demographic and Health Survey, the maintenance of Jigawa’s Open Defecation Free status, and the Back‑to‑School Initiative that has returned hundreds of thousands of out‑of‑school children to classrooms. Governor Namadi pledged continued coordination, financing arrangements and the phased rollout of a universal child grant in partnership with UNICEF.