At least 250 Persons With Disabilities in Nasarawa State have benefited from the Renewed Hope Initiative Economic Empowerment Programme launched by Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu. The disbursement took place in Lafia on Wednesday, where the First Lady announced that each beneficiary would receive N200,000 to support small businesses and reduce poverty among vulnerable groups.
Represented by Hauwa Jugbo, Nasarawa State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Humanitarian Services, Senator Oluremi explained that the initiative was designed as a business capitalization grant to help PWDs start or expand their ventures. She added that similar interventions had taken place nationwide. According to her, “Each state of the federation, the FCT, and the Defence and Police Officers’ Wives Association was given N50 million, amounting to N1.9 billion.”
She noted that the empowerment scheme aligns with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which seeks inclusive growth and shared prosperity to ensure that no citizen is left behind. The First Lady recalled that in the past two years, more than 100,000 women petty traders and small business owners, including PWDs, had received financial support to grow their enterprises.
She further announced that the programme would now become an annual event every December 3 in commemoration of the International Day of Persons With Disabilities. This decision, she said, was approved by the RHI Governing Board to ensure continuous inclusion and sustained empowerment.
Silifat Sule, Wife of Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State, inaugurated the disbursement and praised the First Lady for her consistent support. She stated that beneficiaries were selected from the state’s 13 Local Government Areas to guarantee fairness and wide coverage. She encouraged recipients to invest the funds wisely, saying it would improve their lives and those of their families.
Salah Barde, Executive Secretary of the Nasarawa State Disability Rights Commission, also expressed appreciation to both the First Lady and the Governor’s Wife. He reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to ensuring the grants are used productively to promote growth and development among PWDs in the state.
