The Enhancing Financial Innovation and Access (EFInA), through its Inclusion for All (I4All) initiative, has concluded consumer protection sensitisation dialogues in Mani and Malumfashi Local Government Areas of Katsina State, reaching over 1,000 residents in a bid to deepen trust in financial services and improve financial literacy.
The engagements, held on April 25 and 26, brought together community members, local officials, traditional and religious leaders, financial service providers, and regulators to discuss consumer rights, fraud prevention, complaint resolution, and safe use of financial services.
The initiative followed findings from earlier community engagements and a baseline survey, which showed low awareness of consumer rights, limited knowledge of complaint channels, and declining trust in financial institutions among rural populations.
Hajiya Bilkisu Suleiman Ibrahim, Special Adviser to the Katsina State Governor on Banking and Finance, emphasised the importance of financial inclusion, saying, “Access to affordable and reliable financial services is important, especially for women, youth, vulnerable groups, and people living in underserved communities.”
She added that financial inclusion helps communities improve livelihoods and supports economic development, while urging small businesses in Mani to take advantage of available financing opportunities.
