Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has launched the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Initiative Social Economic Empowerment Programme in Benue State to mark this year’s International Day of Persons With Disabilities. The event took place at the Government House in Makurdi, bringing together stakeholders, beneficiaries, and government officials.
Speaking at the ceremony, Mrs Tinubu highlighted the importance of unity and empowerment, insisting that Nigeria becomes stronger when every citizen has the opportunity to contribute. She said the event was symbolic because it coincided with the global commemoration of the International Day of Persons With Disabilities and was being launched simultaneously across the 36 states of the federation, the Federal Capital Territory, and the Defence and Police Officers’ Wives Association.
The First Lady announced that under the Renewed Hope Initiative, 250 Persons With Disabilities in each state and the FCT will receive N200,000 Business Recapitalisation Grants. According to her, this support is aimed at helping small business owners recapitalise their ventures and improve their means of livelihood. She further disclosed that each state, the FCT, and DEPOWA will receive N50,000,000 each for distribution to beneficiaries in their respective locations.
“In total, 9,500 Persons With Disabilities across Nigeria will benefit from this programme, amounting to One Billion, Nine Hundred Million Naira,” she stated. She explained that the programme aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which promotes inclusive growth and shared prosperity so that “no Nigerian is left behind, especially those whose needs are often overlooked”.
Senator Tinubu noted that in the past two years, the initiative had supported over 100,000 women traders and small business owners, including PWDs, through financial grants. She also highlighted other interventions of the RHI in agriculture, economic empowerment, education, health, and social welfare. According to her, these efforts are aimed at improving the well-being of families across the country.
“Our Social Investment Programmes have provided financial and material support to victims of floods, communal clashes, and disasters, as well as to the elderly, widows, and orphans of our fallen heroes,” she said. She added that through the RHI Monthly Food Outreach Scheme, food items have been delivered to 22 states and the FCT, including Internally Displaced Persons and vulnerable communities.
The First Lady encouraged beneficiaries to maximise the opportunity and grow their businesses to sustain themselves and their families. She expressed appreciation to Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia and State Coordinator of RHI, Hon Scholastica Terngu Ben-Sor, for enabling the success of the programme in the state.
In a goodwill message, Director General of the Bureau for International Cooperation and Development, Dr Aondoaseer Leonard Angelo, praised Senator Tinubu for championing a programme that uplifts thousands of people living with disabilities and promotes sustainable livelihoods. He also commended Governor Alia’s commitment to policies that protect and empower PWDs.
According to Dr Angelo, the governor’s leadership contributed to the passage and signing of the Benue State Disability Rights Law, which guarantees legal protection and greater participation in social and economic life for persons with disabilities. “This commitment has translated into concrete action,” he said, adding that the state’s reforms are restoring hope among communities.
He stated that as Director General, he had witnessed how the governor’s policies opened space for partnerships, funding, and technical support from development actors interested in building an inclusive society in Benue. Dr Angelo said the empowerment of 250 beneficiaries in the state reflects a wider vision of creating a Benue where every resident has a fair chance to thrive regardless of ability.
He urged beneficiaries to embrace the programme as a seed for new opportunities and contribute meaningfully to the development of the state.
Also speaking, Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Welfare, Mrs Ikwue Odachi Theresa, appealed to residents to show love and compassion to persons with disabilities. She said, “If each of us gives just a little more kindness, a little more patience, a little more understanding, we will create a world where no one feels forgotten or left behind”.
The event closed with expressions of gratitude from participants who welcomed the initiative as a timely intervention that addresses long-standing barriers faced by PWDs in the state and across the country.
