Agency Report
Bridge Connect Africa Initiative (BCAI), with support from the Malala Fund, has called for equitable and inclusive budgeting to promote girls’ education in Kano State.
The call was made during the Kano Girls’ Education Summit held on Friday under the Bridging Access to Girls’ Education (BAGE) project with the theme: “Investing in Her Future: Advancing Girls’ Education through Equitable Budgeting.”
The summit brought together policymakers, education stakeholders, traditional and religious leaders, development partners and civil society groups to deliberate on sustainable strategies for financing girls’ education.
Speaking at the event, Executive Director of BCAI, Mr. Sani Muhammad, represented by the organisation’s Chief Operating Officer, Hajiya Fatima Musa-Aliyu, said the summit reaffirmed a collective vision for inclusive and transformative education in Kano.
“At BCAI, we believe that education is more than a policy priority—it is a shared promise of dignity, opportunity and hope,” he said.
Muhammad said BCAI’s experiences across Northern Nigeria have shown that education, especially for girls, is a powerful tool for community transformation.
He added that through collaboration with the Kano State Government and the support of the Malala Fund, the summit aims to shift discussions from access to accountability, and from policy to real transformation.
One of the major highlights of BCAI’s intervention, he noted, is the introduction of the Gender-Responsive Education Budgeting (GREB) Framework, designed to enhance equity, transparency and accountability in education financing.
“The real success of this framework lies in its adoption and implementation by government, educators and communities. The future we seek for girls in Kano must be built collectively through leadership and shared responsibility,” he added.
Also speaking, Chief Executive Officer of the Malala Fund Nigeria, Ms. Nabila Aguele, represented by Sani Muhammad, commended the Kano State Government for adopting the GREB framework, describing it as a major milestone in promoting gender equity in education.
“This is a vital step towards building an inclusive and resilient education system that leaves no girl behind,” she said, reaffirming the Malala Fund’s continued support to the state and civil society partners in ensuring every girl has access to quality education.
On his part, Kano State Commissioner for Education, Dr. Ali Haruna-Makoda, reiterated the government’s commitment to equitable education, describing it as key to social and economic transformation.
He noted that following the declaration of a state of emergency on education, the state increased its education budget from 29.75 percent in 2024 to 31.5 percent in 2025.
According to him, the government has restored boarding facilities in girls’ schools, recruited teachers, and provided free uniforms and transportation to boost enrollment and retention.
“We have rehabilitated over 70 percent of the girls’ shuttle buses, expanded infrastructure across all 44 local government areas, and prioritised privacy-friendly facilities such as toilets for female students,” the commissioner said.
He added that over 16,700 school security guards had been approved for recruitment across the state’s 44 LGAs under the Safe School Initiative to enhance student safety.
The summit also featured discussions on policy reforms, financing accountability, grassroots participation and collaborative approaches for sustaining progress in girls’ education.
The BAGE project, implemented by BCAI with support from the Malala Fund, seeks to promote equitable education financing and drive sustainable reforms that empower girls in Kano to learn, lead and thrive.
