Dangote Foundation disburses N3.92bn to women, youths in 11 states across Nigeria

• Extends grant to 8 more states
• One-off micro-grant part of ADF’s N10bn aid to vulnerable people in LGAs

Aliko Dangote Foundation (ADF) has disbursed N3.924 billion to 392,490 women and youths across 11 states: Kano, Jigawa, Kogi, Adamawa, Borno, Yobe, Lagos, Niger, Nasarawa, Sokoto and Katsina states as part of its micro-grant programme, Zouera Youssoufou, managing director/ chief executive officer of ADF said.

Additionally, the foundation is extending the disbursement of the micro-grant initiative to eight other states: Ogun, Osun, Kwara, Edo, Rivers, Anambra, Ebonyi and Bauchi states in the next phase of the programme.

The micro-grant initiative is part of Aliko Dangote Foundation’s N10 billion aid programme designed to provide a N10,000 one-off grant to at least 1,000 vulnerable women, and in some cases youths in each of Nigeria’s 774 LGAs.

A breakdown of the disbursement shows that N880 million was distributed to 88,000 women in Kano State; 27,000 women received N270 million in Jigawa; 22,000 women got N220 million in Kogi; N315 million was shared among 31,500 women and youth in Adamawa; and N540 million went to 54,000 women and youth in Borno respectively.

Also, additional 40,000 women in Lagos State received N400 million, while 25,000 women in Niger received N250 million; Nassarawa’s 13,000 received N130 million; with 23,990 women in Sokoto benefitting from N239.9 million. Others are: 34,000 women in Katsina State who received N340 million; and 34,000 women and youths in Yobe, a state harried by years of insurgency, benefitting from N340 million.

The above translates that each of the women and youths in the states received N10,000 each from the ADF largesse.

According to the foundation, in some states, mobile phones and bank cards to start up or improve their income-generating activities were added to the grants as a delivery mechanism for the funds in partnership with the respective states and local governments and mobile money/bank operators.

Youssoufou said the board of ADF has already approved the next phase of disbursement of the grants to beneficiaries in Ogun, Osun, Kwara, Edo, Rivers, Anambra, Ebonyi and Bauchi states.

She said that the programme is being implemented in partnership with state governments who work with committees set up down the ward levels to ensure the appropriate beneficiaries are reached.

The ADF chief executive said the scheme provides recipients with a one-time, unconditional N10,000 cash grant to meet immediate household consumption and economic needs.

“As far as possible, participants also receive training tailored to bolster their income-generating activities which are critical for the welfare of millions of Nigerians. Beneficiaries of this programme are evenly selected from the target communities, with primary consideration for vulnerable women, food-distressed households with infants or children under-five year olds, disabled, divorcees, widows with multiple dependents, and extremely poor residents in these communities,” she said.

The programme is implemented in partnership with state governments to complement their economic empowerment and poverty reduction drives. The governor of each state is tasked with setting up a committee to oversee the implementation of the programme alongside the Aliko Dangote Foundation staff.

Since 2016, the foundation automated the beneficiary enrolment and payment processes. In addition to the cash grants, beneficiaries were also given mobile phones and SIM cards by the foundation. In the last two states where the scheme was implemented, the Foundation partnered with a leading commercial bank to open bank accounts and provide ATM card for each beneficiary.