First Lady Unveils Historic Scheme To Transform 18,500 Lives Nationwide

First Lady Unveils Historic Scheme To Transform 18,500 Lives Nationwide

In a significant step towards empowering women and promoting sustainable development in Nigeria, the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, yesterday unveiled the North-central Zone Women’s Empowerment Programme.……..READ  MORE 

The initiative, launched under the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI), is designed to directly benefit 18,500 women across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, starting with 500 women in each state in the North-central region.

This program marks a major milestone in advancing gender equality and economic inclusion in Nigeria. Plans are already in place to expand the program to other zones, with the South-South Zone set to be the next focus area. It demonstrates the Federal Government’s commitment to equipping women as catalysts for change in driving sustainable development across the nation.

A collaboration between the Renewed Hope Initiative and the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals (OSSAP-SDGs), the program aims to provide women with the necessary tools to start or grow their businesses, thereby fostering economic independence and contributing to national prosperity.

In her keynote speech, the First Lady emphasized the importance of empowering women as a central pillar of nation-building. She stated, “This empowerment initiative will support 18,500 women nationwide, providing them with essential tools like deep-chest freezers, gas cookers, generators, and industrial grinding machines to help them build successful businesses and contribute to the nation’s prosperity.”

She highlighted the alignment of the initiative with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu, focusing on inclusivity, economic growth, and sustainable development for all Nigerians. The First Lady also linked the program to global development goals, particularly SDG-5 on gender equality and SDG-8 on decent work and economic growth.

Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, Senior Special Assistant to the President on SDGs, spoke about the broader impact of the program. She explained that the distribution of essential tools to 500 women per state, including gas cookers, generators, and industrial machines, will unlock their potential, foster economic independence, and support sustainable livelihoods.

Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, commended the First Lady’s leadership and noted that this initiative marks a turning point in Nigeria’s approach to women’s empowerment, with domestic resources now mobilized to support these efforts. She stressed that when women are empowered, entire communities benefit, including through improved education and economic growth.

Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Dr. Mariya Mahmoud, also praised the program, emphasizing that empowering women is not only about providing material aid but offering opportunities for transformation and sustainable development. “This initiative is about equipping women with the tools they need to thrive economically and socially,” she concluded.