The Kebbi State Government, in collaboration with the Nafisa Nasir Charity Development Foundation (NANAS), has concluded arrangements to conduct a mass wedding for 300 couples on July 27.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event, tagged “Inclusive Mass Wedding,” will feature both Muslim and Christian couples who have met the eligibility criteria set by the organising committee.
Chairman of the Organising Committee and National Organising Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Suleiman Argungu, disclosed this while briefing journalists in Birnin Kebbi on Tuesday.
Argungu, a former Deputy Governor of Kebbi State, said the programme would bring together 600 prospective spouses—300 couples—selected from the state’s 21 Local Government Areas.
According to him, the beneficiaries were drawn from among orphans, widows and divorcees who had fulfilled all religious and legal requirements for marriage.
He described the initiative as the third edition of the state’s mass wedding programme, recalling that 300 couples were successfully married under the scheme in both 2024 and 2025.
“We have already distributed application forms to prospective couples across the 21 local government areas, and preparations have reached an advanced stage,” he said.
Argungu added that several committees had been constituted to ensure the smooth conduct of the programme, including committees on security, medical services, transportation, Islamic scholars and general coordination.
He said all prospective couples were undergoing mandatory medical screening, including pregnancy, genotype and HIV/AIDS tests, alongside other statutory requirements for marriage in the state.
The APC chieftain further disclosed that Governor Nasir Idris had approved the payment of dowries for all 300 brides, with ₦250,000 allocated for each.
He added that the state government, in partnership with NANAS, would also provide the newlyweds with furniture, food items and other household essentials to support them in establishing stable homes.
According to him, local furniture makers have already been engaged to produce beds, wardrobes, sofas and other household items for distribution to the beneficiaries.
Argungu stressed that the programme would accommodate both Muslim and Christian couples who had satisfied all stipulated marriage requirements.
“There is no discrimination, provided applicants fall within the approved categories of orphans, widows or divorcees,” he said.
He added that the wedding ceremony would be conducted after extensive consultations with Islamic scholars and in line with the teachings of Prophet Muhammad (SAW), which encourage marriage as a means of promoting family values and societal development.
