SABMF Summit: Northern governors, Shettima, Pate, Sule call for human capital development

Governors of the 19 Northern States, senior government officials, development partners, traditional leaders, private sector representatives, academics, and civil society stakeholders gathered in Abuja for the Summit on Enhancing Human Capital Development in Northern Nigeria, themed “Reversing the Decline, Unleashing Potential for Northern Nigeria.”

The summit was organised by the Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation, SABMF, in collaboration with the Northern Governors Forum and supported by the HCD 2.0 Secretariat.

Welcoming participants, Engr. Dr. Abubakar Gambo Umar, Director-General of SABMF, described the gathering as “the time to make things work out for the North.” Speaking on behalf of the Foundation’s Board Chairman, Captain Idris Wada urged stakeholders to move beyond “managing decline” and focus on practical, funded actions that will improve education, healthcare, skills development, and economic opportunities across the region.

Delivering the keynote address on behalf of Vice President Kashim Shettima, Senator Ibrahim Hassan Hadejia, Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, said Northern Nigeria’s greatest challenge is underinvestment in education, healthcare, nutrition, and skills development. He called on governors and development partners to convert commitments into measurable results through sustained investments.

The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, described the human brain as the country’s most valuable infrastructure and urged states to dedicate at least 40 per cent of their budgets to human capital development. He stressed that investing in people is essential to Nigeria’s long-term prosperity.

Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State called for stronger collaboration to address out-of-school children, early marriage, and other barriers to education. He said coordinated action and sustained investments in education, digital literacy, and women’s empowerment are critical to unlocking the region’s potential.

The National Coordinator of HCD 2.0, Rukaiya el-Rufai, urged Northern States to develop implementation plans with clear targets and accountability mechanisms. Dr. Aminu Maida of the Nigerian Communications Commission highlighted digital inclusion initiatives, while UBEC Executive Secretary Aisha Garba outlined reforms aimed at improving foundational learning and education financing.

Representatives of development partners, including the Gates Foundation, also participated in the summit, reaffirming the importance of sustained collaboration to improve education, health, nutrition, skills development, and economic participation across Northern Nigeria.