By Awwal Umar Kontagora Kebbi State has received official confirmation to participate in the 2025 Spring Meetings of the World B...
By Awwal Umar Kontagora
Kebbi State has received official confirmation to participate in the 2025 Spring Meetings of the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
The Special Adviser to the Governor on International Donor Agencies, Hon. Usman Buhari Ali Gwandu, is slated to represent the state at the meetings, scheduled to hold from Monday, April 21 to Saturday, April 26, 2025, in Washington, D.C., United States of America.
According to the invitation, the Spring Meetings "bring together central bankers, ministers of finance, government officials, development partners, private sector executives, civil society leaders, and academics to discuss the global economy and pressing international issues such as economic growth, financial stability, and poverty reduction."
The meetings are described as "a unique and unparalleled forum for discussions on global economic policy." Alongside the main sessions, side events such as country group meetings, press conferences, civil society forums, high-level seminars, and policy talks will also take place.
In a statement personally signed by Hon. Usman Gwandu, he highlighted Kebbi State’s longstanding collaboration with the World Bank through various projects implemented across several Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) in the state.
These ongoing initiatives include the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL), Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE), Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP), Nigeria for Women Project Scale-Up (NFWP-SU), COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus (NG-CARES), and the State Action on Business Enabling Reforms (SABER) Program.
Gwandu emphasized that Governor Dr. Nasir Idris, through the establishment of the Kebbi State Donor Agencies Coordination Office in August 2023, has played a pivotal role in ensuring Kebbi's inclusion in several World Bank-supported programs.
One such project is the Immunization Plus and Malaria Progress by Accelerating Coverage and Transforming Services (IMPACT), which is now active. The state has signed a Subsidiary Loan Agreement (SLA), released counterpart funding, and established a Project Implementation Unit (PIU) under the Ministry of Health.
Under the IMPACT project, 197 out of 225 Basic Healthcare Provision Fund (BHCPF) facilities across the state will be revitalized. This includes upgrading Tier 1 Primary Health Centres (PHCs) to Tier 2, renovating PHC infrastructure, providing staff quarters, security posts, water supply, and electricity. Already, 28 facilities have been revitalized.
The project will further improve healthcare services in all 225 PHCs through support for healthcare workers (CHEWs and SBAs), supply of essential drugs and commodities, health systems strengthening, demand creation activities, and technical assistance in areas such as monitoring and evaluation, healthcare waste management, gender-based violence prevention, and environmental and social safeguards.
Additionally, Gwandu noted that the Donor Agencies Coordination Office successfully facilitated Kebbi State's inclusion in the Sustainable Urban and Rural Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (SURWASH) Program-for-Results. A joint assessment visit by the World Bank and the Federal Ministry of Water Resources was recently conducted to evaluate the state's readiness for participation through the Ministry of Water Resources.
Efforts are also ongoing to secure Kebbi State’s participation in the technical and learning components of the Innovation Development and Effectiveness in the Acquisition of Skills (IDEAS) Project and the Sustainable Procurement, Environmental and Social Standards Enhancement (SPESSE) Project, as both projects are expected to conclude in 2025 and 2026, respectively.
Other World Bank-supported projects being implemented or facilitated in the state include the Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project (L-PRESS) under the Ministry of Animal Health, Fisheries and Husbandry; the Distributed Access through Renewable Energy Scale-up (DARES) Project through the Rural Electrification Agency (REA); and the Human Capital Opportunities for Prosperity and Equity (HOPE) Project, which integrates education, health, and governance components.
Hon. Gwandu also participated in the World Bank’s January 2025 Conference on Public Institutions for Development, themed Enabling the Private Sector. The event brought together academics, development experts, and policymakers to explore how effective public institutions can foster private sector growth.
Public institutions, including ministries, departments, and agencies, are the frontline implementers of government policy — from tax collection and infrastructure to education and healthcare. Their effectiveness is crucial to achieving development outcomes.
While the private sector is a key engine of economic growth, its success depends on a functioning public sector. Through entrepreneurship, innovation, and investment, the private sector drives productivity, job creation, and inclusive economic expansion. Meanwhile, public institutions provide the essential services and regulatory frameworks necessary for economic sustainability and equity.
The World Bank Group continues to enhance private sector engagement in developing countries through financial support, innovation promotion, and strategic collaboration to address pressing development challenges.
No comments