Muhammad Sanusi II

Millions of people still gripped by poverty, poor education in north-west – Emir Sanusi

by · The Eagle Online

The 16th Emir of Kano and former Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Muhammadu Sanusi II, has lamented the systemic challenges plaguing Northern Nigeria, emphasizing that widespread poverty, poor education and weak healthcare systems still firmly grip millions of people across the North-West zone.

Sanusi raised the concerns while speaking at a high-level policy dialogue held in Kano on Wednesday.

He said leaders must confront the harsh realities facing the region if meaningful progress is to be achieved.

“We must tell ourselves the truth,” he said.

According to him, despite years of interventions, many communities across the North-West are still struggling with deep poverty, limited access to quality education, and inadequate healthcare services.

He warned that progress will remain painfully slow if northern leaders continue to avoid difficult conversations and fail to take real action.

Sanusi also cautioned against what he described as a culture of empty promises, where announcements are made without concrete results.

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“Leaders must resist substituting announcements for action,” he said.

He stressed the need for policies that translate into real improvements in people’s lives.

The Emir emphasised that addressing poverty and inequality requires sincere leadership and sustained investment in critical sectors such as education and health.

Also speaking at the event, Nigeria’s Vice President, Kashim Shettima, called for the introduction of a Universal Child Benefit to support vulnerable families.

“The child is the most honest measure of any society. When a child is hungry, the future is hungry,” he said.

Shettima, who was represented by the Deputy Senate President, Barau I. Jibrin, explained that direct support to families would help improve child nutrition, keep children in school, and reduce cases of child labour and early marriage.

Meanwhile, a representative of UNICEF, Wafaa Saeed, highlighted the need for stronger implementation of policies, noting that inequality in access to basic services remains a major challenge in the region.

She called for stronger social protection systems to help families cope with economic hardship, insecurity, and climate-related challenges.

At the end of the meeting, North-West governors agreed that tackling poverty must be treated as an urgent priority.

They pledged to improve funding, strengthen coordination, and expand social protection programmes across the region.

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