Kaduna intensifies social protection, begins validation of Welfare Mapping report
The Kaduna State Government has intensified efforts to strengthen coordination and delivery of social protection programmes across the state with the commencement of a two-day validation workshop on the Kaduna State Social Protection Mapping Report.
The Kaduna State Government has intensified efforts to strengthen coordination and delivery of social protection programmes across the state with the commencement of a two-day validation workshop on the Kaduna State Social Protection Mapping Report.
The workshop, organised by the Office of the Special Adviser to the Governor on Social Investment Programmes with support from UNICEF, brought together government agencies, development partners, civil society organisations and technical stakeholders to review and validate findings from the state’s social protection mapping exercise.
The initiative comes amid growing concerns over rising economic hardship and the need for coordinated welfare support systems targeting vulnerable households across.
Speaking at the opening session, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Social Investment Programmes, Bridget Sulaiman, represented by the Senior Special Assistant on Social Investment, Falmata Abacha, described the workshop as a critical step toward building an inclusive, responsive and evidence-based social protection system capable of addressing the needs of vulnerable populations across the state.
She explained that the validation process was designed to ensure that the final report accurately reflects existing interventions, institutional frameworks, implementation realities and coordination mechanisms among Ministries, Departments and Agencies, as well as development partners operating in the state.
According to her, the Kaduna State Government, in collaboration with others, had earlier convened a strategic stakeholders’ orientation in September 2025 aimed at strengthening governance, accountability and coordination within the social protection sector.
“Today’s validation workshop represents the next crucial phase of the process. It provides us with an opportunity to critically examine the findings of the report, identify possible gaps, validate institutional information, and collectively agree on a comprehensive and credible document that will guide policy formulation and strategic interventions,” she said.
Sulaiman reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to reducing poverty, promoting social inclusion and improving the well-being of residents through stronger partnerships and better-targeted interventions.
Also speaking, UNICEF representative, Mrs Wakidara Akila, described the validation exercise as an important milestone toward building a more coordinated social protection framework capable of reaching vulnerable groups more effectively.
She noted that despite progress already recorded in the sector, significant gaps still exist in identifying and supporting those most in need.
According to Akila, improved collaboration among stakeholders would help address what experts describe as “exclusion errors” and “inclusion errors,” where some beneficiaries receive excessive support while others are left out completely.
“If we can work together as stakeholders in social protection, then we can fill those gaps and reach the people who truly need support,” she said.
Akila also disclosed that she is exploring additional support for Kaduna State, particularly in emergency and shock-response interventions in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs.
She stressed that improved coordination during emergencies would help eliminate duplication of efforts and ensure more effective delivery of assistance to vulnerable residents.
The workshop is expected to produce a validated and harmonised social protection mapping report to guide future planning, resource mobilisation, policy implementation and intervention strategies in Kaduna State.
