By Beatrice Gondyi
When Hadiza Mohammed Abubakar became the First Lady of Bauchi State in 2015, she chose to channel her office toward programmes aimed at improving the lives of women, children and vulnerable communities. Rather than limiting her role to ceremonial engagements, she established the Bauchi Sustainable Women Economic Empowerment and Peace Initiative (B-SWEEP), a non-governmental organisation that became a major platform for skills development, education, healthcare, agriculture and peacebuilding across the state.
Registered in February 2016, B-SWEEP was created with a vision of empowering women economically while promoting education, good health and peaceful coexistence in all 20 local government areas of Bauchi State. The initiative’s mission centred on helping women become self-reliant through skills acquisition, entrepreneurship and improved access to opportunities.
A Career Built on Public Service
Before becoming First Lady, Hadiza Mohammed Abubakar had already established a distinguished career spanning more than three decades in Nigeria’s public service.
A graduate of Literature with a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, she began her career with the Nigerian Television Authority before moving to the Central Bank of Nigeria, where she rose through the ranks to retire as a Director in 2011.
Her professional development included leadership and human resource management training in the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates, while she remained actively involved in organisations such as the Nigerian Institute of Management and the Federation of Muslim Women Associations in Nigeria (FOMWAN).
Empowering Women Through Skills and Enterprise
One of B-SWEEP’s flagship achievements was its large-scale economic empowerment programme targeting women across Bauchi State.
Between 2015 and 2019, more than 5,000 women received vocational training in various trades, including tailoring, hairdressing, leatherwork, aluminium fabrication, baking, food processing and beautification.
To ensure sustainability, beneficiaries were supported with starter packs and financial assistance to establish their own businesses.
The organisation also implemented a Micro-Entrepreneurship Programme through which 1,200 women engaged in small businesses across Bauchi, Azare and Misau received cash grants of ₦10,000 each to strengthen their businesses.
Youths were not left behind. About 390 young people were trained and equipped in eight vocational skills to improve their employability and promote self-reliance.
Investing in Education
Recognising education as a pathway out of poverty, B-SWEEP implemented several programmes aimed at supporting vulnerable children and women.
The initiative awarded scholarships to 150 internally displaced children, covering school fees, uniforms and learning materials from primary to secondary school.
In collaboration with Himma Inner Circle, scholarships were also provided for 15 girls living with special needs.
The organisation partnered with UNESCO to train 250 women in digital literacy and ICT-based skills, with each participant receiving a tablet to enhance learning and entrepreneurship.
Overall, more than 6,000 women and girls benefited from formal and non-formal educational interventions during the four-year period.
Improving Maternal and Child Health
Healthcare interventions formed another major pillar of B-SWEEP’s activities.
The initiative distributed safe delivery kits to over 3,000 pregnant women in six local government areas to encourage hygienic childbirth practices and reduce maternal health risks.
It also provided nutritional meals to more than 3,500 malnourished children, helping improve child nutrition in vulnerable communities.
In partnership with the Bauchi State Ministry of Health, over 1,000 women underwent cancer screening. Sixty-five women diagnosed with abnormal cancer cells received medical treatment, including surgeries.
Building Peace Through Community Engagement
Beyond economic empowerment, B-SWEEP sought to strengthen social harmony by promoting peace education.
The organisation convened peacebuilding workshops involving politicians, religious leaders, youth groups and National Youth Service Corps members to encourage dialogue and peaceful coexistence.
Peace clubs were also established in 10 public secondary schools, where students participated in essay competitions, interactive sessions and awareness campaigns aimed at nurturing future ambassadors of peace.
Supporting Agriculture and Rural Livelihoods
To encourage women’s participation in agriculture and enhance food security, B-SWEEP collaborated with the Bauchi State Agricultural Development Programme to support 50 women cooperative societies with fertilisers across the state’s 20 local government areas.
The initiative also facilitated the establishment of a rice milling factory in Dass Local Government Area after receiving rice milling machines donated through the Future Assured Programme. The project was designed to support women involved in rice farming by improving local processing capacity and increasing economic returns.
Reaching the Vulnerable Through “We Care Day”
One of the initiative’s humanitarian programmes was “We Care Day,” a dedicated outreach targeting vulnerable populations.
Through the programme, internally displaced women received hygiene and sanitary materials, while patients at the Bayara Leprosy Clinic and the Vesico Vaginal Fistula (VVF) Centre in Ningi received medical supplies, clothing and toiletries.
Children with special needs benefited from food donations, while persons living with disabilities received wheelchairs, mobility aids and other welfare support. Additional interventions included assistance to rehabilitation centres and the construction of a borehole to improve access to clean water.
Complementing Development Priorities
B-SWEEP’s programmes were designed to complement the development agenda of the Bauchi State Government during the 2015–2019 administration while aligning with several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those focusing on poverty reduction, quality education, gender equality, good health, decent work and peaceful societies.
From economic empowerment and healthcare to education, agriculture and humanitarian assistance, the initiative reached communities across Bauchi State with interventions aimed at improving livelihoods and expanding opportunities for women, children and vulnerable groups.
The organisation’s activities also earned Hadiza Mohammed Abubakar national recognition, including the Most Valuable Governor’s Wife Award and the 2017 Zik Prize for Humanitarian Leadership, reflecting the impact of programmes implemented during her tenure as First Lady of Bauchi State.
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