By : Lloyd Mahachi

The World Bank issued $1.2 billion for investment in girls’ education in 18 Nigerian states, aiming to improve the quality of education and to empower adolescent girls.

The announcement was made during the restoration of the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) program in Abuja.

Reports that the World Bank Country Director, Mr. Ndiame Diop, announced the investment during the event, with the Bank’s Senior Social Protection Specialist, Tina George, on behalf of him.
Diop said that the AGILE program will support secondary education for adolescent girls and enhance empowerment.

“An educated girl is truly a mirror, a mother of her community. When a girl is educated and empowered, she is a reflection of the community around her”, Diop added.
The proposal, with a $1.2 billion investment, is a multi-sectoral program implemented at both the federal and state levels. The World Bank’s goal,  as reported, is to address challenges to education and provide opportunities for adolescent girls to complete secondary education and improving their economic prospects.

Targeting 18 states and 15 million students the AGILE program targets 18 states, Borno, Ekiti, Kebbi, Kaduna, Plateau, Katsina, Kano, Adamawa, Kogi, Nasarawa, Niger, Bauchi, Jigawa, Yobe, Kwara, Gombe, Sokoto, and Zamfara.

The proposal aims to reach 15.2 million students, with 8.6 million of them being adolescent girls. The program also focuses on married and unmarried girls, as well as those with disabilities.
In total, the World Bank plans to benefit over 25 million people through education and empowerment opportunities provided by the project.

Editor : Josephine Mahachi