Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, has reaffirmed her commitment to empowering women with the resources they need to contribute to national development. This was disclosed by the wife of the Governor of Kogi State, Hajia Sefinat Usman Ododo, during the distribution of small business recapitalization grants to 500 women traders across the state.
It was a day of hope and progress for the beneficiaries in Kogi State, who received grants under the Renewed Hope Initiative Women’s Economic Development Program. The intervention is part of a wider agenda to support women-led enterprises, enhance household income, and promote inclusive growth across communities.
Hajia Sefinat Usman Ododo explained that the program, supported by the Tony Elumelu Foundation, is a deliberate effort to strengthen women’s businesses and help them thrive in a competitive economy. “This economic empowerment program is about supporting the entrepreneurial spirit of our women, who wake up each day determined to provide for their families. Let me emphasize that this is not a loan. It is a grant and a seed,” she said.
Officials further stressed that the Renewed Hope Initiative is working in partnership with solution-driven organizations to ensure that women across Nigeria benefit from sustainable economic empowerment.
Folashade Ayoade, Secretary to Kogi State Government, highlighted the impact of the grants, saying, “When you use this money to train your children, your children will take you to America. Your children will take you to London. They will take you to Canada. It is the fulfillment of a dream, a dream we all share, to see women uplifted, families empowered, and communities transformed.”
For many beneficiaries, the financial support represents more than just business capital. It offers the chance to expand their trade, improve their standard of living, and contribute to community development.
One trader expressed her gratitude, saying, “This is new in our district, and for that reason, we will never forget your generation to generation. They recognize the grassroots so that our business can stand. So I’m so excited.”
With the distribution of these business grants, hundreds of women traders in Kogi State are now positioned to strengthen their enterprises, boost the local economy, and create ripple effects that will benefit families and future generations.