The State Executive Council (SEC) meeting was held on Monday, 3rd March 2025, under the chairmanship of His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Jigawa State, Malam Umar A. Namadi, FCA. The Council deliberated on key issues and made the following resolutions:
1. Promotion of Medium- and Small-Scale Entrepreneurship through Soft Loans
In line with the Jigawa State Government’s commitment to fostering Medium- and Small-Scale Enterprises (MSMEs) through enhanced access to soft loans, the Council reviewed the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with the Bank of Industry (BoI), valued at ₦6 billion. The MoU structure is as follows:
- The Jigawa State Government contributed ₦2 billion as a matching fund, which was equally matched by the BoI with ₦2 billion.
- Additionally, the State Government contributed another ₦2 billion under a managed fund arrangement, ensuring increased access to funding for MSMEs.
However, the Council expressed serious concern over the low disbursement rate of these funds to qualified MSME applicants, which contradicts the essence of the signed MoU. Consequently, the following directives were issued:
- The Bank of Industry (BoI) management should accelerate the loan approval and disbursement processes to ensure accessibility to eligible beneficiaries.
- A review of the MoU should be conducted, if necessary, to incorporate provisions that will guarantee swift and seamless access to funds for all eligible applicants.
- The State Committee overseeing the BoI partnership is mandated to invite officials of the Bank’s State Branch for further discussions to resolve the identified challenges.
2. Approval of 2025 Constituency Projects under the Ministry of Basic Education
The State Executive Council considered and approved the implementation of various Constituency Projects under the Ministry of Basic Education, amounting to ₦347,645,818.52K. These projects include:
- Construction of Islamiyya Schools
- Construction of SUBEB-type classrooms
- Renovation of classroom blocks
- Supply of books, chalk, and school uniforms
The projects will be implemented across the following Local Government Areas (LGAs):
Auyo, Babura, Birnin Kudu, Gagarawa, Garki, Gumel, Gwiwa, Gwaram, Jahun, Kazaure, Kiyawa, Kaugama, Kirikasamma, Miga, Roni, and Yankwashi.
Signed:
Sagir Musa Ahmed
Honorable Commissioner, Ministry of Information, Youth, Sports, and Culture