Senator Oluremi Tinubu, Nigeria's First Lady, has disbursed N50,000 grants to 500 women in Plateau State as startup capital for their small-scale businesses.
The initiative, part of the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) in partnership with the Tony Elumelu Foundation, aims to recapitalize and expand women-led enterprises amid ongoing economic challenges.
The event, held on Monday in Jos, the state capital, saw beneficiaries from across Plateau's 17 local government areas receive the non-repayable grants during a flag-off ceremony.
Representing Senator Tinubu, the wife of Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang, Helen Mutfwang, highlighted the programme's role in addressing poverty and promoting grassroots entrepreneurship.
"This is more than money; it's a seed for growth, self-reliance, and community upliftment," she stated, emphasizing the selection process that prioritized vulnerable women in petty trading, tailoring, food processing, and agriculture.
This disbursement marks Plateau as the latest beneficiary in a nationwide rollout targeting 18,500 women across Nigeria's 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), with 500 recipients per location.
Each participant receives N50,000 to strengthen existing ventures or launch new ones, backed by a N1 billion contribution from the Tony Elumelu Foundation.
Similar events have already empowered women in states like Ondo, Edo, Enugu, Katsina, Niger, Nasarawa, and Cross River since August 2025, with early reports indicating improved business sustainability and job creation.
One beneficiary, Amina Yusuf, a 42-year-old trader from Jos North Local Government Area, expressed profound gratitude: "With this grant, I can stock more goods for my provision store and support my family better. Mama Tinubu has given us hope when times are tough."
Another recipient, Grace Dung, a soap maker from Barkin Ladi, added, "It's not a loan to repay—it's a blessing to build on. We'll use it wisely to grow and employ others.
"Governor Mutfwang commended the First Lady's commitment, noting that the grants align with Plateau's economic recovery efforts post-security challenges.
"Empowering our women means empowering the entire state. This partnership with RHI will create ripples of prosperity," he said.
The RHI programme has now reached over 6,000 beneficiaries since its launch, with more states scheduled in the coming weeks.
Senator Tinubu's office reaffirmed that monitoring mechanisms will track the grants' impact, ensuring they translate into tangible economic gains.
Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
Advertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users
No comments
Post a Comment
Kindly drop a comment below.
(Comments are moderated. Clean comments will be approved immediately)
Advert Enquires - Reach out to us at NigerianEye@gmail.com