Nigeria’s Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Iman Sulaiman-Ibrahim, has commissioned two landmark projects in Abia State aimed at advancing women’s economic empowerment and strengthening protection systems for survivors of gender-based violence (GBV).
The Minister inaugurated the Nigeria for Women Programme, “Osusu Abaala Women Palm-Oil Collective” in Isialangwa North Local Government Area. She also launched the state’s Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC), describing both initiatives as key milestones in deepening women’s economic inclusion and reinforcing Nigeria’s protection architecture.
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, which was attended by Governor Alex Otti and other dignitaries, Sulaiman-Ibrahim reflected on progress made in promoting women’s economic inclusion under the administration of President Bola Tinubu.
“What we are witnessing today is not accidental; it is the result of deliberate policy, sustained partnerships, and the resilience of Nigerian women, while we are not there yet in terms of our ambition, the Nigeria for Women Project continues to push us closer to that reality,” she said.
She described the palm-oil collective as a practical example of organised women moving from fragmented informal activities to coordinated, market-oriented production that strengthens household incomes and supports local economies.
According to the Minister, “The Nigeria for Women Programme was designed to address longstanding structural barriers limiting women’s access to finance, markets, skills, and social capital.”
She explained that the programme’s Scale-Up phase, recently launched by President Tinubu, is targeting at least five million women nationwide. The effort forms part of a coordinated national strategy focused on livelihoods, food security, and inclusive growth.
The Minister added that the expansion is being implemented under the Renewed Hope Social Impact Interventions – 774 framework, which integrates women’s economic empowerment, food security, social protection, and family resilience.
“To the women of Osusu Abaala, this facility is an economic asset and a collective responsibility. It must be governed transparently, managed efficiently, and sustained through accountability, reinvestment, and disciplined group leadership,” she charged.
Commending President Tinubu, subnationals, development partners, and other stakeholders for their support, the Minister formally commissioned the collective. She expressed hope that it would serve as a replicable model of organised women’s enterprise, local value addition, and inclusive agribusiness development.
At the launch of the Sexual Assault Referral Centre in Abia State, Sulaiman-Ibrahim said that under the Renewed Hope Social Development Agenda, the Ministry is repositioning protection services as a core pillar of national stability, human capital development, and social justice for women and girls.
“Gender-Based Violence is a pervasive and deeply underreported threat to human security, public health, and social stability,” she said. She noted that the centre provides a safe, confidential, and integrated platform for medical care, psychosocial support, legal referral, and justice services for survivors.
The Minister appreciated the Abia State Government for prioritising the protection of women and children and for creating an enabling environment for the centre’s establishment. She said this demonstrates strong sub-national leadership and a clear understanding that safe communities are foundational to sustainable development.
She also thanked President Tinubu for declaring 2026 as the year for Social Development and Families. She disclosed that as of November 2025, Nigeria had fifty Sexual Assault Referral Centres across twenty-four states, collectively assisting over 58,134 survivors.
“Silence, stigma, and impunity must no longer define the experience of survivors. Access to justice, care, and protection must become the national standard,” she declared.
Reaffirming the government’s commitment to strengthening the national GBV response architecture, the Minister expressed hope that the Abia SARC would serve as a safe space for healing, a gateway to justice, and a model for replication across other states of the Federation.
World Bank Senior Social Development Specialist and Task Team Leader Nigeria for Women Programme, Mr. Michael Ilesanmi, said, “The collective is an opportunity for women entrepreneurs to come together and address the issue of scale and aggregation while linking them to expanded market opportunities which results in increased income.”
