Kaduna State Governor Senator Uba Sani has expressed strong confidence in the North’s ability to overcome its long standing development hurdles, insisting that the region already has the talent and capacity needed to change its fortunes if its elites work together with a clear sense of purpose.
He shared this conviction when the leadership of the Arewa Consultative Forum, led by its Board of Trustees Chairman Alhaji Bashir Dalhatu, visited him at the Government House. The forum, which has served for years as a major voice for northern interests, is renewing its focus and charting a path that goes beyond advocacy into practical steps aimed at real development. Plans for a Central Endowment Fund, wider collaboration across states, and stronger engagement with other regional groups are part of this shift.
The governor noted that the North has spent many years discussing its challenges, from poverty to gaps in education, healthcare and infrastructure. He said the moment has come for the region to move past complaints and begin to take deliberate action that will produce measurable progress. He stressed that the North is rich with accomplished professionals and entrepreneurs whose knowledge and success can be harnessed if brought under one coordinated effort.
Sani urged the ACF to take the lead in connecting these individuals, saying their combined experience and resources could make a real difference in the lives of the people. He praised the plan for the Central Endowment Fund and encouraged a strong emphasis on skills development so that more people can earn a living without depending on government assistance.
While reflecting on financial exclusion across the region, he lamented that many northerners still do not have bank accounts, which shuts them out of government support programmes. He recalled signing an Executive Order on Financial Inclusion immediately after assuming office, which helped bring more than two million vulnerable people into the financial system within a year.
The governor also appealed to northern business leaders to invest more in the financial sector, pointing out that too many local government areas across the region still operate without a single bank branch. He described the situation as one of several gaps that must be closed if small and medium enterprises are to thrive.
Sani described the ACF as one of the few platforms with the neutrality and reach needed to rally the region, adding that past efforts had suffered from a lack of synergy between the forum, the states and northern political leaders. He commended the current leadership for opening new channels of cooperation, especially their outreach to similar regional bodies in other parts of the country, which he said would help build trust and stronger national unity.
During the visit, Alhaji Bashir Dalhatu informed the governor that the ACF would soon celebrate its twenty fifth anniversary in Kaduna. He expressed gratitude for the support the governor has extended to the forum, noting that it now operates from its own permanent premises courtesy of the state government. He said Vice President Kashim Shettima is expected to attend the anniversary, along with northern ministers and other key figures.
Dalhatu explained that the leadership of the forum has been engaging traditional rulers, political office holders and various religious institutions ahead of the celebration. He added that respected personalities from across the country have been invited to share ideas and deepen conversations that will strengthen national cohesion.
He also revealed that Aliko Dangote will serve as guest speaker and may choose to reflect on his personal journey, which he described as a story of endurance and determination. Dalhatu said the forum’s move to set up an endowment fund marks a new chapter, as ACF shifts from speaking for the North to delivering concrete community based initiatives that can drive real social and economic upliftment.
