The Federal Government says it has activated the economic empowerment of no fewer than 10 million women to achieve its one trillion dollar economy ambition.
The Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim disclosed this at a high-level sideline event of the 2025 United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, U.S.A.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports the event is themed: “Scaling Women’s Economic Empowerment: Financing Inclusive Growth for Peace, Development, and Human Rights – Lessons from Nigeria for Women Project. “
NAN also reports that Vice-President Kashim Shettima departed Abuja on Sunday for New York to represent President Bola Tinubu at the 80th session of the UNGA.
Speaking at the event, the minister said the economic empowerment is being achieved through targeted projects, initiatives, programmes, and interventions focused on women.
She said that one of the key vehicles being utilised for the empowerment is the Nigeria for Women Project, ((NFWP).
According to her, NFWP, under the leadership of President Tinubu, is currently, the nation’s most significant women’s economic empowerment platform.
“In phase one, we mobilised over 460,000 women into Women Affinity Groups (WAGs) across multiple states.
“These groups have collectively saved over an average of N4.9 billion of their own money and have inter-loaned significantly to expand businesses, cover health costs, and pay school fees.
” In addition, over 330,000 women have accessed livelihood grants, while thousands have been linked to formal financial institutions, national ID, and health insurance schemes,” she said.
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The minister said after the successful pilot launch in six states, the ministry had scaled up and opened up to all states.
“It is critical to highlight, that while this model borrows from the most successful global experiences, we have wholly adapted it to Nigerian realities.
“The Women Affinity Groups that are created under the programme have become platforms of voice, social capital, and economic agency.
“They are changing the texture of communities, lowering household vulnerability, and strengthening our democracy from below, ” she said.
The minister told delegates and partners at the event that the ministry realised that, “investing in women’s entrepreneurship will transform not just incomes but also nutrition, education, and community stability.
She said based on that understanding, the government consolidated its empowerment approach into a single delivery architecture that integrated agriculture, clean energy, logistics, digital access, mobile services, amongst others.
“We call this the Renewed Hope Social Impact Interventions – 774 (RH-SII774).
“This programme is envisioned as a transformative, gender-responsive initiative that will directly impact over 50 million women, children, families, and vulnerable persons across all 774 Local Government Areas of the Federation.
” It provides a unified national platform to tackle systemic issues such as gender inequality, family instability, digital exclusion, child vulnerability, and economic disempowerment.
” It is a full-scale transformation of how social protection and women’s economic empowerment are delivered in Nigeria,” she said.
Earlier, the Chairman, Nigeria Governor’s Forum, Gov. Abdulrahman Abdulrazak of Kwara State, said investments in women empowerment are not only a moral imperative, but an economic necessity for peace , prosperity and shared growth.
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Abdulrazak, represented by Gov. Hyacinth Alia of Benue state, said in Nigeria and around the world, when a woman thrive, family, communities and entire communities thrive.
The governor noted that the Nigeria for Women Programme (NFWP) is a powerful demonstration of what sustained, target financing could achieved.
” The programme is collaboration among the Federal Government, State Ministries, the World Bank and other partners.
“It began in six states and it is now active in 15 states with commitments from 32 states in overall.
” To date, more than 46,000 women have organised into 22,000 Women Affinity Groups, saving over N4.4 billion and channelling this resources into small businesses that are transforming families and community alike,” he said
The Minister of State for Federal Capital Territory, Dr Mariya Mahmoud, commended President Tinubu for his support and unwavering commitment to women Inclusivity and youth development in Nigeria.
“So many policies and initiatives have been put in place to empower women at the national and sub-national levels on women empowerment, ” she said.
For his part, Gov. Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State, said his administration gave special attention to women empowerment.
He added that women were the major beneficiaries of almost all the empowerment programmes in the state.
Other dignitaries at the event included, Plateau Governor Gov. Caleb Mutfwang, Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa and the First Lady of Zamfara State, Hajiya Huriyya Lawal.
The Charge d’Affaires at the Permanent Mission of Nigeria to the United Nations, Samson Itegboje, and Prof. Kabir Mato were also at the event.
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NAN recalls that the President Tinubu’s administration has set a target for Nigeria to become a US$1‑trillion economy by 2030.
This goal is part of his administration’s broader “Renewed Hope Agenda’ economic plan under a policy called “Nigeria First”.
The Vice President, in April, inaugurated the Interministerial Committee to drive the process of achieving the goal. (NAN)
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