WOMEN AFFAIRS PARTNERS TONY ELUMELU FOUNDATION ON WOMEN EMPOWERMENT

By: Dominic Idio and Felicia Adeyemi

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Women Affairs Secretariat in partnership with the Tony Elumelu Foundation has launched a Women Economic Empowerment Programme under the Renewed Hope Initiative of the Federal Government.
The launch of the Initiative which took place recently at the Cyprian Ekwensi Center for Arts and Culture, Abuja, was a transformative step towards empowering women entrepreneurs to rescale and boost their businesses for optimal profitability.
At the event, the sum of N50,000 grant was disbursed to each of 500 pre-selected women traders and small-scale business owners in the FCT.
In her Keynote Address, Mandate Secretary of FCT Women Affairs Secretariat, Dr. Adedayo Benjamins-Laniyi said that the Initiative aims at empowering women as the backbone of households and communities.
“Empowering women means empowering our nation, the grants are not loans but seeds of renewed hope designed to foster economic growth,” the Mandate Secretary stated.
She highlighted the FCT Administration’s commitment to women’s development, applauding the FCT Minister Barr. Nyesom Wike and Minister of State for FCT, Dr. Mariya Mahmoud for their unwavering support in advancing Renewed Hope projects across the Territory.
She said, “Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, permit me to state that the performance of Renewed Hope interventions in the FCT is bold, courtesy of our ever-performing FCT Minister, His Excellency Barr. Nyesom Wike, and the Minister of State for FCT, Dr. Mariya Mahmoud. Several Renewed Hope projects and initiatives have been inaugurated and executed in FCT, not only for the benefit of women, but for all residents of the Federal Capital Territory”.
The give-away cash grant was powered by a N1 billion donation from the Tony Elumelu Foundation, and 18,500 women have benefitted nationwide, with 500 women benefitting from each of the 36 states and the FCT.
“This is a testament to the power of partnership,” Benjamins-Laniyi said,
While commending the Tony Elumelu Foundation for the gesture, she urged other humanitarian organisations to join in empowering women entrepreneurs.
The FCT Women Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Hajia Salamatu Jubril in her speech praised the Initiative, stating that without women, there can be no nation. Jubril lauded the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu and the Mandate Secretary for their dedication to women’s economic empowerment.
Similarly, the Leader of the National Council for Women’s Societies (NCWS) FCT Chapter, Hadiza Abdullahi Umar hailed Dr. Benjamins-Laniyi as a champion for inclusive development, siting her bold strides to reach-out to widows, youths, and the less-privileged across the six area councils of the FCT.
The beneficiaries expressed their profound gratitude, noting that the grants would significantly boost their small businesses.
The launch marked a major milestone in the FCT Women Affairs Secretariat’s efforts to drive economic independence for women, aligning with the broader vision of the Renewed Hope Initiative under the First Lady’s vision to plant seeds of prosperity through women, nationwide.