By Bashir Hassan
The Bauchi State Agency for Sustainable Microfinance has formally adopted the Savings Groups Implementers Platform (SGIP) as the core implementation structure for its non-interest microcredit program—marking a major innovation in how financial services reach rural communities.
The announcement was made at a five-day stakeholder workshop in Bauchi, organized in collaboration with CARE Nigeria, to review and finalize SGIP’s operational guidelines.
SGIP was instituted by CARE as a coordinated platform that brings together Microfinance Institutions (MFIs), Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), and savings group networks under one umbrella. Its goal: to improve access to finance through a more structured, data-driven, and community-rooted system.
Previously, the Agency disbursed loans indirectly through MFIs to Village Savings and Loans Associations (VSLAs). While impactful, this method had limitations in scale and coordination. The SGIP now provides a centralized system where partner organizations work collectively to manage loan disbursement, monitor implementation, and report outcomes.
“This is a turning point,” said Alhaji Nura Muhammad Danmadami, Director General of the Agency. “SGIP now serves as the backbone of our non-interest microcredit scheme. It brings together experienced actors—MFIs, CSOs, and savings groups—into one cohesive structure with a shared vision and clear accountability.”
Danmadami highlighted SGIP’s use of the SAVIX Management Information System (MIS) for real-time data reporting and decision-making. He noted that SGIP partners are already active in communities, organizing and training VSLAs, mobilizing savings, and providing grassroots-level oversight.
The DG encouraged stakeholders at the workshop to contribute to refining the operational framework that will guide SGIP’s long-term institutionalization in Bauchi.
CARE Nigeria’s Program Coordinator, Faiza Muntaka, praised the Agency’s decision to formally adopt SGIP, calling it a model of locally led innovation. She commended the platform’s collaborative structure and alignment with CARE’s priorities of financial inclusion, gender equity, and community empowerment.
She also pointed to key achievements—such as training government and CSO actors on the SAVIX platform, the launch of a Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) system, and the growth of the Bauchi State SGIP as an example for replication in other states.
“SGIP is more than a program; it’s a model for sustainable, scalable, and accountable development,” Muntaka said.
As the workshop continues, stakeholders aim to finalize policy and coordination mechanisms that will guide SGIP’s expansion and ensure long-term impact across Bauchi State.
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