Kebbi to Host Mass Wedding for 300 Couples With Government Support

((Grooms dressed in white robes. Photo by Vangaurd News)

The Kebbi State Government, in partnership with the Nafisa Nasir Charity Development Foundation (NANAS), has finalised plans 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 bring together both Muslim and Christian couples who met the criteria set by the organising committee.

The Chairman of the Organising Committee and National Organising Secretary of the APC, Alhaji Suleiman Argungu, disclosed this while addressing journalists in Birnin Kebbi on Tuesday.

Argungu, a former Deputy Governor of the state, explained that the beneficiaries comprising 600 prospective Muslim and Christian spouses were selected from across the state's 21 Local Government Areas.

He said the beneficiaries were chosen from among orphans, widows, and divorcees after meeting the necessary religious and legal requirements for marriage.

He noted that this edition marks the third instalment of the state government's mass wedding programme.

"If you recall, we successfully conducted the maiden edition for 300 couples in 2024 and the second one in 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.

According to Argungu, several committees have been set up to ensure the programme runs smoothly, covering areas such as security, medical services, transportation, Islamic scholarship, and general coordination.

He added that all prospective couples are currently undergoing mandatory medical screening, including pregnancy, genotype, and HIV/AIDS tests, alongside other legal prerequisites for marriage within the state.

Argungu further disclosed that Governor Nasir Idris had approved the payment of dowry for all 300 couples, with N250,000 allocated for each bride.

He added that the government and its partners would also provide the newly married couples with furniture, food items, and other domestic essentials to help them settle into their new homes, noting that local furniture makers had been engaged to produce beds, wardrobes, sofas, and other household items for distribution to beneficiaries.

He stressed that the programme is open to both Muslims and Christians who have fulfilled all required marital procedures.

"There is no discrimination, provided applicants fall within the approved categories of orphans, widows or divorcees.

The wedding will be solemnised 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," Argungu said.