The United Kingdom Government has commended Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani for driving transformative reforms and reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the state's development agenda. This was announced by UK Minister of State for International Development and Africa, Jenny Chapman, during a courtesy visit to Sir Kashim Ibrahim House in Kaduna.
UK Minister Praises Reform Efforts
Chapman, on a scheduled assessment visit to review the impact of UK-funded programmes through the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), praised Governor Sani for consistent partnership. She noted that collaboration has strengthened public institutions, enhanced accountability, and fostered reform-oriented leadership. The minister also lauded Kaduna's progress in peace and security, calling it a key enabler of development and economic growth.
Commitment to Sustainable Development
Chapman pledged continued UK support aligned with Kaduna's development priorities, reaffirming a commitment to deepening cooperation for sustainable and inclusive development.
Governor Sani Highlights Strategic Partnership
Governor Uba Sani described the partnership as strategic, consistent, and results-driven, with nationally recognised outcomes. He cited programmes such as the State and Local Governance Programme (SLGP), State Partnership for Accountability, Responsiveness and Capability (SPARC), Supporting Active Voice for Impact (SAVI), Partnership for Education and Learning (PERL), and Partnership for Accountability and Civic Engagement (PACE) as key to positioning Kaduna as a leading model of subnational reforms in Nigeria.
Open Government and Revenue Growth
Sani noted Kaduna's early adoption of the Open Government Partnership (OGP), making it the second subnational government in Africa to embrace the initiative. He revealed that Kaduna recorded over 500% increase in Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) through reforms in revenue administration, fiscal transparency, and institutional capacity development, many supported by the FCDO partnership.
The visit underscores the strong relationship between Kaduna State and the UK, anchored on shared goals of strengthening institutions, promoting good governance, expanding economic opportunities, and improving citizens' quality of life.
