More than 36,000 residents of Zamfara State are expected to receive shares in the Dangote Group under a state government initiative aimed at widening access to investment opportunities and promoting financial inclusion.

The programme, approved by Governor Dauda Lawal, will cover 36,176 beneficiaries across the state’s 14 local government areas. Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs and Relief Matters, Salisu Musa Tsafe Kainuwa, said the plan is intended to help residents participate in the capital market rather than remain outside formal investment opportunities.

Under the proposed arrangement, each beneficiary is expected to receive approximately 20 shares through the Dangote Initial Public Offering. The initiative is being coordinated by the state ministries of Humanitarian Affairs and Finance, alongside the Zamfara Investment Company.

The allocation is designed to cover all local government areas, with 2,261 beneficiaries assigned to each of 13 councils. Gusau, the state capital, is allocated 4,522 beneficiaries, twice the number assigned to each of the other local government areas.

The state government says the scheme will also include persons with disabilities, as part of efforts to make the programme accessible to a wider range of residents. The authorities have presented the initiative as part of a broader strategy to combine humanitarian support with opportunities for financial independence.

The proposed share distribution is expected to give beneficiaries an opportunity to hold an investment linked to the Dangote Group. However, details on the implementation timeline, the process for selecting individual beneficiaries and the arrangements for transferring the shares were not provided in the announcement.

The government says further empowerment programmes targeting women and young people are also expected to be announced. The impact of the share initiative will depend on how it is implemented, whether the intended beneficiaries receive their allocations and how effectively they are supported to understand and manage their investments.