The First Lady of Nigeria and National Chairman of the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI), Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has launched the North Central Zone Women’s Empowerment Programme. The program is aimed at directly impacting 18,500 women across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, starting with 500 beneficiaries from each state in the North Central Zone.

The initiative, a collaboration between the Renewed Hope Initiative, RHI and Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals (OSSAP-SDGs) will provide women with tools and resources to start or grow their businesses, fostering economic independence and contributing to national development. Delivering the keynote address, First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu expressed commitment to empowering Nigerian women as a cornerstone of nation-building.

She said the initiative are aimed at equipping the women with essential tools such as deep-chest freezers, gas cookers with ovens, generators, and industrial grinding machines to build successful businesses and contribute to our nation’s prosperity.

She said the gesture which recognizes the critical role women play in initiative and aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which prioritizes inclusivity, economic growth, and sustainable development for all Nigerians. The Senior Special Assistant to the President on SDGs, Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, highlighted the broader impact of the program on sustainable development.

She commended the First Lady for her visionary leadership through RHI and reiterated OSSAP-SDGs’ commitment to ensuring no woman is left behind in Nigeria’s journey toward achieving the SDGs. Minister of Women Affairs Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim also noted that that the Nation, especially through the efforts of the First Lady, her ministry and other stakeholders, is set to achieve the Economic Boost driven by women.

The Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Dr. Mariya Mahmoud, highlighted the significance of empowering women, emphasizing that such initiatives symbolize more than material aid but that they represent opportunities for transformation and sustainable development. The North Central Zone Women’s Empowerment Programme marks a significant milestone in advancing gender equality and economic inclusion in Nigeria. With plans already underway for similar initiatives in other geopolitical zones, including South-South as the next beneficiary region, the program underscores the Federal Government’s commitment to empowering women as agents of change in achieving sustainable development.