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No fewer than 70% of people in Katsina live below poverty line-UN official
The UN in Nigeria says no fewer than 70 per cent of people in Katsina State live below the poverty line.
Mr Mathias Schmale, the UN Resident Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, made this known when he visited Gov. Aminu Masari on Monday in Katsina.
‘I said to my colleagues that I want to get first hand information so that people will not bamboozle me with statistics and arguments. I can say I have seen it myself.
”We understand that poverty, insecurity and lack of knowledge are also key factors that are contributing to malnutrition among children in the state.
“At our next meeting of the humanitarian country team this coming Wednesday, we will discuss humanitarian issues in the rest of the country, not just in the north east,”he said.
Schimale said that Masari has visited the UN house on several occasions to show concerns over his people and elegantly made case for better support for the state.
”We have not forgotten his efforts. I have been made to understand that Katsina has a very rich history in culture.
“What I have understood so far is a couple of things, one is that it seems there is a nutrition crisis all over Nigeria, including Katsina.
“What I have been educated on today, is the drivers of this crisis in your state are a mixture of three factors, one is insecurity, another one is poverty.
“And thirdly, in some places there also seems to be a lack of knowledge, and so, education should be part of it. That’s w he said.
Responding, Masari also attributed the malnutrition crisis to some cultural issues.
”The same problem is happening in most of the northern states. A family of 10 some 20 years back, had only one hectare of land for cultivation. But because of culture, this family in 10 years can become a family of 100, living on the same source.
“The question is how can we address the issue in a fundamental way? The main driver of poverty is lack of education and skills.
“The intervention we need in order to address poverty has to do with education that would give people knowledge and the skills so that production can rise, and people can look after themselves,” Masari said.
In March reports from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) report (2012), indicated that Sokoto State has estimated poverty rate of 87.73.
The NBS said Taraba is second with poverty rate of 87.72 followed by Jigawa with 87.2 per cent.
The report showed that Katsina is number 10 with a poverty rate of 56.42 percent.
News
RMRDC DG Prof. Ike-Muonso Wins WAITRO Sub-Saharan Africa Board Seat in Landslide Victory
Joel Ajayi
The Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), Prof. Nnanyelugo M. Ike-Muonso, has emerged winner of the Sub-Saharan Africa Regional Representative position on the Board of the World Association of Industrial and Technological Research Organisations (WAITRO), in a landslide victory at the WAITRO Summit in Istanbul, Türkiye.
In a statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja by the Director, Directorate of Corporate Affairs, Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC). Mrs. Nnamdi-Anum stated that Prof. Ike-Muonso’s election, announced at the summit holding from October 26 to 28, 2026, marks a significant milestone for Nigeria and RMRDC, strengthening the country’s representation in the international research, technology and innovation community.
The RMRDC Director-General contested the position alongside two distinguished candidates: Prof. Wellington Riach Liamba Masamba, Vice-Chancellor of the Botswana University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (BUAN), Botswana, and Prof. Mohammed Aliyu Paiko, Vice-Chancellor of Abdulkadir Kure University (AKUM), Nigeria.
His emergence as the successful candidate presents an important opportunity to advance African research priorities, strengthen international partnerships and promote the application of research and technological innovations to industrial development across the continent.
WAITRO is a global association of industrial and technological research organisations that facilitates collaboration, knowledge exchange and partnerships among research institutions, universities, industries and innovation stakeholders. Through its governance structure, the organisation provides a platform for regional representatives to contribute to international research and technology development initiatives.
Prof. Ike-Muonso’s election comes amid RMRDC’s sustained efforts to promote research-driven industrialisation, indigenous raw materials development, value addition, technology commercialisation and strategic partnerships with national and international institutions.
Under his leadership, the Council has continued to pursue initiatives aimed at bridging the gap between research and industry, strengthening the commercialisation of research findings, promoting local processing of raw materials and supporting the development of a competitive manufacturing sector in Nigeria.
RMRDC’s engagement with international research and technology organisations, including WAITRO, reflects the Council’s commitment to leveraging global expertise and partnerships to advance Nigeria’s industrial development agenda.
His election to the WAITRO Board is expected to provide a broader platform for promoting collaboration among African research institutions, encouraging technology transfer, facilitating knowledge sharing and advancing innovative solutions to the continent’s industrial and economic challenges.
For Nigeria and the wider Sub-Saharan African region, the development represents an opportunity to strengthen participation in international conversations on scientific research, technological innovation and sustainable industrial transformation.
The WAITRO Summit 2026 brings together research and technology organisations, universities, industry leaders, policymakers and innovation partners to explore collaborative approaches to research, innovation and sustainable development.
Prof. Ike-Muonso’s emergence is a notable achievement for RMRDC and Nigeria, further reinforcing the importance of strategic international cooperation in advancing indigenous technological capacity, promoting raw materials value addition and supporting sustainable industrial growth.
The Council remains committed to building partnerships that translate research and innovation into practical industrial applications, create economic opportunities and contribute to Nigeria’s broader development objectives.
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