By Umar Muhammed, Lafia
Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, on Tuesday disbursed ₦50,000 each to 500 women in Nasarawa State to support small businesses and improve livelihoods.
The beneficiaries, drawn from all 13 local government areas of the state, received the funds under the Women Economic Empowerment Programme of the Renewed Hope Initiative, in partnership with the Tony Elumelu Foundation.
Represented by Mrs. Tosin Akabe, wife of the state deputy governor, Mrs. Tinubu said the scheme was designed to reduce hardship among vulnerable women and strengthen their businesses.
“This is not a loan. It is a grant and a seed of renewed hope to help you recapitalise your existing businesses,” she said. “When you empower a woman, you empower a household, a community, and indeed, a nation.”
She noted that the Tony Elumelu Foundation donated ₦1 billion to the initiative, targeting 18,500 women nationwide, with 500 women from each of the 36 states and the FCT set to benefit.
Nasarawa First Lady, Silifat Abdullahi-Sule, commended Mrs. Tinubu and the Foundation for the programme, urging the beneficiaries to invest the grants wisely.
One of the beneficiaries, Jemimah Abari, said the support would “put smiles on our faces and greatly boost our businesses.”
