The federal government has signed what it termed the Aso Accord for Economic and Financial Inclusion with state governments and other key stakeholders in the private sector as part of efforts to actualize delivery of financial services at affordable costs to all Nigerians, including those at disadvantaged and low-income segments of society.

Signing the Aso Accord pact on behalf of the federal government on Thursday during a two-day workshop for Economic and Financial Inclusion in Abuja, were Vice President Kashim Shettima; Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, and Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Yemi Cardoso

The workshop is organized by the Office of the Technical Advisor to the President on Financial Inclusion (Office of the Vice President).Vice President KASSIM Shettima who declared the workshop open, demanded a renewed commitment from state governors and other key players in the nation’s economic and financial inclusion space to forge a more inclusive and prosperous future for all Nigerians.

According to him, while President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to inclusive economic growth for sustainable development had been unmistakable, at the core of Mr. President’s economic recovery strategy lies a multifaceted approach aimed at rescuing the economy through various means. The VP who listed the means to include “job creation, ensuring food security, eradicating extreme poverty, and, notably, facilitating access to capital,” pointed out that these “form the foundation upon which Nigeria’s prosperity rests

VP Shettima noted that the inspiration to engage critical stakeholders in the two-day workshop stemmed from the shared interests that align with the stark reality that Nigeria cannot afford to maintain the status quo, expressing confidence that the depth of expertise within the reach of participants is enough to power their grand ideas for financial inclusion.

Earlier, the Deputy Chief of Staff to the President (Office of The Vice President), Senator Hassan Hadejia, said expectations are high, as stakeholders are expected to, among other things, interrogate the rising gender gap in financial inclusion.

Noting that the concept must integrate equality and accessibility of financial services to all and sundry, he said President Tinubu's charge to stakeholders at the forum is to ensure that no one should be left behind as stakeholders adopt new strategies and models of meeting set targets. In his goodwill message at the event, the 14th Emir of Kano and former CBN Governor, HRH, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi,

Other stakeholders at the event emphasized the need for a review of strategies for enhancing financial inclusion and literacy across the country, noting that it is a continuous work requiring consistent implementation. They also advocated the adoption and deployment of technology to boost the digital environment to strengthen access to financial services, even in rural communities.

Also present at the event were the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Sen. Abubakar Bagudu; Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye; Deputy Governor of Borno State, Umar Usman Kadafur; Deputy Governor of Kebbi State, Abubakar Umar Tafida and heads of government agencies.