News Investigators/ The First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, has inaugurated an Economic Empowerment programme for 18,500 women nationwide, aimed at supporting 500 women from each state, including the Federal Capital Territory.
She launched the programme in Minna on Tuesday, saying the programme was under the Renewed Hope Initiative in conjunction with the Tony Elumelu Foundation.
Mrs Tinubu said the programme targeted women traders and small-scale business owners, with each beneficiary to receive N50,000 each as a grant.
“This initiative aims to empower women with N50,000 as a grant. It is not a loan but a seed grant from the Renewed Hope Initiative.
“I believe in the saying that ‘when you empower a woman, you empower a household.’ This initiative will positively impact on families and communities,” she said.
The First Lady thanked the Tony Elumelu Foundation for donating N1 billion to the Renewed Hope Initiative to directly support 18,000 beneficiaries nationwide.
She noted that the ongoing empowerment programme under the Renewed Hope Initiative was aimed at continuously empowering women to enable them contribute positively to society.
She thanked Gov. Umaru Bago of Niger and his wife for their support for the renewed hope initiative.
Earlier in her remarks, Fatima Bago, Wife of Niger Governor, acknowledged the First Lady’s unwavering commitment to Nigerian women’s welfare under the Renewed Hope Initiative.
She said the impact of the programme was a reflection of her vision and a bold step to strengthen women’s financial capacity through direct business recapitalisation grants.
“We have seen firsthand how a little support in the hands of a woman becomes a seed for something greater; school fees paid, families fed, homes sustained and communities uplifted,” she said.
According to Mr Bago, the state is proud to have 500 women beneficiaries in this initiative.
“It is also confident that the grant will empower them to thrive as entrepreneurs and community builders,” she said.
She commended the partnership between the Renewed Hope Initiative and the Tony Elumelu Foundation, saying it was a shining example of how the private sector could align with national efforts to create sustainable development.
Also speaking, Mrs Mary Noel-Berje, Special Adviser to Gov. Umaru Bago on Women and Affirmative Action, described the continuous support of the First Lady as a living testament of her compassion, empathy and unwavering motherly instinct.
“At a time when many are weighed down by hardship, you have become a symbol of hope, healing and help, especially to the vulnerable, downtrodden and those most in need,” she said.
NAN
