Abiodun: 100,000 Ogun Women Empowered Under World Bank Programme, UN Deputy Chief Visits

Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has disclosed that about 100,000 women across the state have benefited from the World Bank-supported Nigeria for Women Programme (NFWP), describing women's economic empowerment as a strategic tool for fighting poverty and strengthening families and communities.

Abiodun made the disclosure when he received the United Nations Deputy Secretary-General, Ms Amina Mohammed, who joined him in interacting with beneficiaries of the programme at the Governor's Office, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.

The governor explained that his administration deliberately embraced and took ownership of the programme because it offered an opportunity to reach women at the grassroots level who might otherwise remain outside conventional structures of political and economic empowerment. According to him, empowering women should extend beyond appointing them to political offices to providing the resources, skills, and opportunities required to build sustainable livelihoods, support their families, and live with dignity.

"When the World Bank shared with us the Nigeria for Women Project, we did not only key into it; we took ownership of it. We saw in that programme the opportunity to empower women because not all women are able to contest elections or be appointed Commissioners or occupy political offices. We saw the opportunity to touch the lives of these women, empower them to support their households and themselves, and give them a sense of dignity," Abiodun said.

The governor said the programme's impact had reinforced his administration's conviction that investing in women amounted to an investment in the wider economy and in the future of families, noting that economically empowered women were better positioned to provide for their households and contribute to community development. He disclosed that Ogun's implementation of the programme had attracted delegations from more than 25 states seeking to study the state's model, adding that political commitment remained critical to replicating its success elsewhere. He expressed hope that the initiative would be expanded nationwide so that more women could benefit from the intervention. "It is my prayer that this deepens across the length and breadth of the 36 states and the FCT. I am filled with so much joy today that you are here and that you can see first-hand what we have been able to do with women empowerment," he said.

In her remarks, the UN Deputy Secretary-General commended the governor for providing seed funding for the programme and, more importantly, for believing in the capacity of women to grow their businesses and transform their communities. Mohammed praised the beneficiaries for demonstrating resilience, creativity, and enterprise, saying their progress showed what could be achieved when women were given the right support and opportunities. "You have shown that you started small and you are growing, and what we want is for every woman in Ogun State who can benefit to have that benefit," she said.

Mohammed added that she intended to take the Ogun experience back to her home state to share as an example of what could be achieved through deliberate investment in women. "I will take this initiative back to my state so that everyone will know that a seed was sown in Ogun State for the women of Nigeria, and that seed is growing. A country is as strong as its women," she said.

The State Coordinator of the Nigeria for Women Programme, Mrs Bola Fadairo, disclosed that Ogun was among the first six pilot states when the programme was launched in 2020. She said the state had exceeded its target by 105 per cent, with 8,759 Women Affinity Groups comprising 247,273 women established across the state's 20 local government areas.

According to Fadairo, beneficiaries had received training in financial management, record-keeping, gender awareness, life skills, and other areas designed to equip them with the knowledge and skills required to build sustainable livelihoods. She said the scale of participation and the impact recorded across the state underscored Ogun's commitment to creating sustainable opportunities for women to strengthen their livelihoods, improve household incomes, and contribute meaningfully to the development of their communities.