North Has the Capacity to Surmount Its Challenges – Kaduna Governor

By Umar Faruk Tukur

Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State has said that the North possesses the human capital required to address its development challenges, provided its elites unite and commit to a common agenda.

The Governor made the remark when the leadership of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), led by Alhaji Bashir Dalhatu, Wazirin Dutse, visited him on a courtesy call. He noted that the forum’s renewed direction is timely and encouraging.

“For years, we have spoken about our challenges — poverty, educational setbacks, healthcare gaps, and other development concerns. I believe the time has come for us to stop dwelling on the problems and start taking concrete action,” he said.

Governor Sani stressed that the North is blessed with accomplished professionals and business leaders across various fields whose expertise can be harnessed for the region’s progress.

“We have successful Northern professionals in business, academia, medicine, entrepreneurship, and many other areas. What has been missing is a platform that brings all of us together. The ACF can serve as that bridge by helping us tap into these collective experiences and resources for the good of our people,” he added.

He commended ACF’s plan to set up a Central Endowment Fund, advising that it should prioritise skills development to make citizens more self-reliant.

The Governor lamented the high number of financially excluded northerners who cannot benefit from government social programmes because they do not have bank accounts.

He recalled that one of his first actions upon assuming the office was signing the First Executive Order on Financial Inclusion. Within one year, he said, more than 2.1 million vulnerable residents were brought into the financial system.

He also urged Northern business leaders to invest in the financial sector to support small and medium enterprises, noting that over 60 percent of local government areas in the region do not have a single bank branch.

“Today, there are over 4,000 bank branches across Nigeria. Yet, only Kaduna and Kano have about 100 branches combined. Meanwhile, some southern states with far smaller populations than Kano have more bank branches than Kano, which has 44 local government areas,” he said.

Governor Sani described ACF as one of the most credible platforms capable of addressing the North’s challenges due to its neutral and non-partisan nature. He observed that the lack of collaboration between the ACF and state governments in the past had hindered its impact, but expressed confidence in the new leadership.

He also commended ACF for engaging regional groups such as Afenifere and Ohanaeze Ndigbo as part of efforts to build trust and foster national unity.

Earlier, Alhaji Bashir Dalhatu, Chairman of the ACF Board of Trustees, said the delegation visited Sir Kashim Ibrahim House to formally inform the Governor about the forum’s upcoming 25th Anniversary celebration scheduled for 20 to 22 November in Kaduna.

He thanked Governor Sani for his support since assuming office more than two years ago.

“From its inception, ACF operated from offices provided by the Kaduna State Government. Upon your assumption of office, you graciously allocated the property to us permanently. We sincerely appreciate this gesture. For the first time, we are operating from a space we can truly call our own,” he said.

Dalhatu added that Vice President Kashim Shettima will serve as Special Guest of Honour, and that all ministers from the North have been contacted for the event.

“As Chief Host, Your Excellency, we also seek your support in reaching out to your colleagues to give this celebration added weight, visibility, and room for meaningful exchange of ideas,” he said.

He explained that the ACF has also engaged socio-cultural groups from both the North and the South, as well as respected individuals, to foster dialogue and promote stronger national cohesion.

“We want to begin sustained conversations with our brothers and sisters in the South, sharing experiences and learning from each other in the spirit of building a more united Nigeria,” he added.

Dalhatu, a former Minister of Steel Development, also noted that the Forum has visited His Eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, who pledged to mobilise emirs across the region.

“We have engaged mosque leaders, the Deputy President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and other key officials. Notices have also been sent to all ACF state chapters,” he said.

He further revealed that Alhaji Aliko Dangote will be the Guest Speaker, with the freedom to speak on any topic of his choice, noting that his story of resilience and achievement will inspire many.

Dalhatu concluded by announcing that the ACF will establish an endowment fund, noting that after 25 years of advocating for the North, the time has come to implement practical, community-based projects that deliver real social and economic upliftment.