The Nasarawa State Government has officially launched the World Bank-supported Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) project, targeting the improvement of 490 public secondary schools across the state’s 13 local government areas.
Speaking during the flag-off ceremony in Lafia on Monday, Governor Abdullahi Sule described the initiative as a transformative step in addressing long-standing challenges in girls’ education, including access, retention, and learning quality. He noted that the state qualified for the project after fulfilling key criteria, including the payment of a N150 million counterpart fund.
“This programme aims to tackle the issue of adolescent girls dropping out of school by providing targeted support to schools, families, and communities, while also empowering the girls with relevant life skills,” Sule said. “With the AGILE project, we now have the opportunity to create more inclusive and equitable learning environments for our girls.”
Governor Sule praised the Federal Ministry of Education for including Nasarawa in the School Improvement Grant, a major component of the AGILE project. He urged School-Based Management Committees (SBMCs) and other stakeholders to manage resources with transparency and accountability in line with approved work plans.
He also announced that the state had begun recruiting qualified teachers to be posted to newly constructed schools under the initiative, reinforcing the government’s broader effort to strengthen public education.
Project Coordinator for AGILE in Nasarawa, Aishatu Isoga, outlined the programme’s core objectives—chief among them, expanding educational opportunities for girls aged 10 to 20, particularly those at risk of dropping out due to socio-economic vulnerabilities. She emphasized that the initiative is active in 21 states across Nigeria.
“The School Improvement Grant we are launching today is a key deliverable of the project,” Isoga said. “In Nasarawa, 515 secondary schools will benefit, divided into three categories: 331 small grants, 159 medium grants, and 25 large grants. This first phase will focus on 490 schools under the small and medium categories.”
She added that the grants will be disbursed in two phases and will enable schools to carry out infrastructure upgrades, enhance learning materials, and improve Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) facilities—all in line with School Implementation Plans developed by SBMCs.
Also speaking at the event, State Commissioner for Education, John Mamman, reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to ensuring the smooth rollout of the project. He acknowledged the contributions of stakeholders and reiterated that the AGILE initiative would bring lasting improvements to the education sector across the state.
With the launch of the AGILE project, Nasarawa joins a growing number of states making focused investments to empower adolescent girls through education—an investment the state believes will shape not just the future of its youth, but also the progress of its communities.