By Ali Abbare
In a clear show of commitment, Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State has set aside six billion naira to upgrade the Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital (DASH) in Akwanga. This money is coming directly from the state’s share of a N17 billion reward it earned from the World Bank for making its business environment better.
This move to turn DASH Akwanga into a top-level trauma and medical centre is part of a bigger plan to ensure each of the state’s three senatorial zones has a major hospital. It also shows a shift in how the state is growing—from just trying to fix basic problems to confidently investing in its own future.
This progress is linked to the World Bank’s State Action on Business Enabling Reforms (SABER) programme. It is important to understand that SABER is not a free gift or a loan for specific buildings. Instead, it is a rewards programme.
When a state like Nasarawa makes solid improvements in how its government works—like making it easier to start a business, own land, or get permits—the World Bank provides funds as a reward.
Think of it like fixing the plumbing in a house before installing new taps. Nasarawa chose to first fix its government systems. The SABER funds are a reward for that hard work, which the state can now spend on major projects it chooses itself
.A key driver in this effort is the Nasarawa State Investment Development Agency (NASIDA), led by Ibrahim Abdullahi. His agency’s job is to use the improved business climate to attract companies and create jobs.
Because the state has worked to make processes smoother and more transparent, NASIDA can confidently promise investors that Nasarawa is a good place to do business.
Their work is changing the story about the state, bringing in new interest in areas like farming, mining, and technology. When new businesses open or existing ones grow, they create jobs for local people.
This is the main, real-world benefit of the SABER reforms.The upgrade of DASH Akwanga is just one of several projects funded by the N17 billion SABER reward. Governor Sule has been open about using the money for other high-impact plans.
To give investors confidence that business disputes will be settled fairly and quickly, the state recently completed and commissioned new Multi-Door Courthouses in Lafia and Karu metropolis.A large sum of N4.1 billion is being expended to fully computerised the Ministry of Lands.
This will connect and integrate the ministry with the existing digital land system, the Nasarawa Geographic Information Service (NAGIS) ending slow, manual processes and reducing corruption.
Funds have also been spent on the establishment of a one-megawatt power project for the state secretariat, to ensure government offices can work without power cuts.The computerisation of the Ministry of Lands is a major change that will touch the lives of many citizens.
For a long time, getting land documents like a Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) could take up to two years through slow, paper-based methods. This delay created room for corruption and made it hard for people to prove they own their land.
The new digital system however is geared towards cutting this processing time down to just one month. For an ordinary citizen, this means they can get their land papers quickly and use them to access bank loans for business or to build a home. It makes land ownership more secure and valuable.
For the state government, a complete and reliable digital land register makes planning easier, helps collect the right taxes, and gives everyone a clear picture of land use.What is happening in Nasarawa creates a positive cycle.
The SABER programme rewarded the state for its initial reforms. Now, the state is using those reward funds to build things—like better hospitals, fairer courts, and a modern land system—that will further improve life for its people and attract even more business.
This approach proves that true development is not just about how much money comes in, but about building strong, fair systems to manage that money well. By using its SABER reward to fund these projects, Governor Sule’s administration is showing it trusts the foundation it has built.
The six billion naira for DASH Akwanga is more than a budget line; it is a direct investment in the health of Nasarawa’s people, made possible by the state’s own commitment to good governance.
