By Ibrahim Ibrahim
The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) has pledged to ensure the proper and effective utilisation of funds under the Nigeria Community Action for Resilience and Economic Stimulus (NG-CARES) Programme, following the World Bank’s confirmation of the programme’s effectiveness in supporting vulnerable households, farmers, and micro and small enterprises.
The confirmation of the World Bank’s additional financing was disclosed at the end of the NGF’s seventh meeting of 2025, held at its headquarters on Lake Chad Street, Abuja, from Wednesday night to Thursday morning.
In a communiqué signed by the NGF Chairman and Governor of Kwara State, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, and read by the Governor of Ogun State, Dapo Abiodun, the Forum said the additional funding would enable states to deliver tangible benefits to vulnerable populations nationwide.
NG-CARES, formerly known as the Nigeria COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus, is a World Bank–supported programme of the Federal Government designed to provide grants, livelihood support, and food security assistance to poor and vulnerable households affected by COVID-19 and broader economic shocks.
The programme is implemented across all states, with funding and reimbursements linked to the achievement of verified results.
The communiqué stated: “The Forum received notification from the World Bank confirming the effectiveness of the additional financing for the Nigeria Community Action for Resilience and Economic Stimulus Programme. This enables continued disbursements to states to support livelihoods, food security, public works, and resilience-building interventions.
“Governors renewed their commitment to sustaining implementation momentum, ensuring timely reporting, and maximising fund utilisation to deliver measurable outcomes for vulnerable households.”
The Forum also pledged heightened security across all states during the 2025 festive season, following a communication from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) on increased public safety risks.
According to the communiqué, governors committed to strengthening inter-agency coordination, protecting critical infrastructure, and maintaining a visible security presence in identified hotspots to ensure a safe and incident-free festive period nationwide.
In addition, the NGF noted the outcome of the third edition of the Primary Health Care Leadership Challenge Awards held on December 12, 2025, which recognised 13 states for outstanding progress in strengthening primary health care systems.
Yobe State emerged as the overall national winner, while Zamfara, Nasarawa, Abia, Rivers, and Osun topped their respective geopolitical zones. Kwara, Gombe, Kaduna, Anambra, Bayelsa, and Ogun states emerged as first runners-up.
The governors acknowledged that the results reflect the impact of sustained political leadership and peer-driven accountability, pledging to build on the gains to further strengthen primary health care delivery nationwide.
