Uba Sani bags women in leadership summit award, vows more economic inclusion

The Business Day Women in Leadership Summit has presented the Leadership and Inclusion Award to Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani for prioritising inclusion as economic wisdom.

The award ceremony, which was attended by government officials, captains of industry and women professionals, was organised in partnership with Brooks and Blake, and The Conversationalists in Lagos.

The summit noted that Sani adopted a visionary approach to governance that views gender inclusion not as a mere rhetoric but a vital driver of economic change.

The summit said: “In a country where gender policies are often limited to symbolic gestures, Kaduna now stands out as a pioneering example of what can happen when inclusion is integrated into the core mechanics of governance.

“What sets Governor Sani apart from his peers is a clarity of vision that is both principled and pragmatic. His administration has boldly declared that women’s exclusion is not only a social injustice, it is a structural economic inefficiency that costs Kaduna dearly.”

Receiving the award on behalf of the governor, the Kaduna State Commissioner of Business, Innovation and Technology, Patience Fakai, noted that the summit’s theme “speaks directly to the heart of sustainable development in our society today.”

“It reminds us that leadership is not merely about authority, but about responsibility – the responsibility to create systems that are fair, inclusive, and empowering for all,” he added.

Sani reiterated that his administration has embraced “inclusion not as a slogan, but as a guiding principle for policy design and implementation.”

Sani stated: “We firmly believe that no society can achieve lasting peace or economic prosperity if significant segments of its population, women and young people, are excluded from opportunities.

“This belief has informed our strategic focus on human capital development, institutional reform, and economic empowerment.”

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He said the Kaduna State Government has continued to expand access to education while improving quality, with policies aimed at increasing enrolment and retention of the girl child.

Governor Sani added that his administration believes that educating a woman is not just a social good, but an economic imperative.

Sani said: “Our Arewa Ladies-4-Tech in collaboration with Data Science Nigeria, for instance, where we trained over 5000 women and girls in AI and digital skills, is a programme we are proud of.

“Through it, a good number of these women have secured remote jobs internationally through which they support themselves and their families.”

The governor added that his administration has also established a N5 billion Women Economic Empowerment Fund in the 2025 budget to support women entrepreneurs.

According to him, the government’s financial inclusion programme brought two million underserved persons, largely women, into the banking system to access social intervention programmes, using an Executive Order in 2024.

Sani also disclosed that his government’s “A Kori Talauchi” poverty reduction scheme has supported nearly 4,900 women with livelihood packages.’’

“In skills development and job creation, we are investing in innovation-driven programs that equip our youth, including young women, with relevant, future-ready skills.

“Through partnerships and technology-driven initiatives, we are building a workforce that is competitive, resilient, and inclusive,” he said, adding that the Kaduna State Institute for Vocational Training and Skills Development (KD-IVTSD) has three campuses in three senatorial districts for deeper grassroots penetration.

The Star