Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State has announced that each of the state’s 255 political wards will receive ₦100 million in the 2026 draft budget, marking a historic move toward direct grassroots funding.
Speaking at a special town hall meeting for the public presentation of the budget on Friday, the governor explained that the decision was shaped by citizens’ feedback from last year’s consultations.
Many residents highlighted severe developmental gaps in rural communities, including the fact that 12 out of 23 Local Government Areas had not received even one kilometre of road construction in 12 years.
“The ₦100 million per ward allocation ensures that communities themselves identify, prioritize, and implement projects that matter most to them,” Sani said.
“This includes feeder roads, water supply schemes, health facilities, farm-to-market links, security infrastructure, and community economic programmes.”
The governor emphasized that decisions on how the funds are used will no longer be dictated from above.
He cited the water sector as an example, where budget allocations were increased from ₦10 million to ₦100 million following citizens’ demands, showing that community input directly shapes development priorities.
Sani also highlighted ongoing state projects, including extensive road construction across LGAs, many at 90–95% completion, such as: 24 km inter-community roads, 35 km in Sanga, 22.5 km in Soba, 24.7 km in Zangon Kataf and 14.2 km in Igabi.
These projects are set to complement the ward-level allocations and ensure equitable development.
Health and Agriculture Initiatives
According to the governor, citizen consultations have also guided investments in health, making Kaduna the only state in Nigeria to upgrade all 255 primary healthcare centres from level 1 to level 2, earning recognition as the best PHC system in the Northwest.
Renovation and equipping of 16 general hospitals are also aligned with ward-specific needs, with nine already completed.
On agriculture, wards with significant farming populations will receive targeted interventions funded by the ₦100 million allocation.
This complements ongoing initiatives such as the distribution of nearly 900 trucks of fertilizer and Kaduna’s recent $250 million agro-industrial investment deal, aimed at boosting market access, value addition, and rural incomes.
Kaduna’s skill development programs, currently enrolling 90,000 youths under the Federal Government’s TX training initiative, will also benefit from ward-level funding, enabling communities to sponsor vocational and digital skills programs.
Major transportation projects, including a planned BRT system and 44 km light rail, are expected to strengthen local economies, improve mobility, and enhance security coordination.
Governor Sani stressed that the philosophy behind the ₦100 million per ward is fairness, equity, and inclusion, emphasizing that development should reach every community, regardless of political affiliation, origin, or religion.
“The 2026 budget is your budget, and the ₦100 million is for the people to decide, not the government to dictate,” he said.
