Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, says about 100,000 women have benefited from the World Bank-supported Nigeria for Women Programme (NFWP), reaffirming his administration’s commitment to using women’s economic empowerment as a tool to reduce poverty and improve family welfare.
The governor disclosed this while receiving the United Nations Deputy Secretary-General at the Governor’s Office in Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, where they also interacted with beneficiaries of the programme.
Abiodun said his administration deliberately took ownership of the initiative to provide women at the grassroots with access to resources, skills and opportunities needed to build sustainable livelihoods, support their families and live with dignity.
According to him, the programme’s remarkable success has attracted delegations from more than 25 states seeking to understudy Ogun’s implementation model.
He stressed that empowering women remains one of the most effective strategies for tackling poverty and promoting inclusive economic growth across communities.
The UN Deputy Secretary-General commended the Ogun State Government for providing seed funding for the programme and for demonstrating confidence in the ability of women to build successful businesses and transform their communities.
She described Ogun’s implementation as a model worthy of replication across Nigeria, noting that the country’s development depends largely on the empowerment of its women.
Speaking on the programme’s achievements, the State Coordinator, Mrs. Bola Fadairo, disclosed that Ogun, one of the six pilot states when the initiative was launched in 2020, has surpassed its target by 105 per cent.
She said the state has established 8,759 Women Affinity Groups comprising 247,273 women across all 20 local government areas.
Fadairo added that beneficiaries have received training in financial management, record-keeping, gender awareness, life skills and other capacity-building programmes designed to strengthen businesses, improve household incomes and promote sustainable livelihoods.
The Nigeria for Women Programme is supported by the World Bank and is aimed at expanding economic opportunities for women through improved access to skills, finance and community support structures.
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