Empowerment in Action: Ekiti First Lady Supports 3,300 Women Through Mega Empowerment Programme
. .₦100 Million Cash Grants and Economic Empowerment Tools Distributed
By our Reporters
The Wife of the Ekiti State Governor, Dr Olayemi Oyebanji, on Wednesday empowered 3,300 women across the state through a large-scale intervention facilitated by the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) of Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, and the WAOH Support Foundation.
Under the programme, 2,000 women received cash grants of ₦50,000 each to support their small-scale businesses, while another 1,300 beneficiaries received various economic empowerment tools aimed at strengthening women-led enterprises and expanding economic opportunities at the grassroots level.
The empowerment programme, tagged “Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) Empowerment of 2,000 Petty Traders and Ekiti First Lady’s Mega Empowerment,” was held at the Osuntokun Pavilion, Government House, Ado-Ekiti.
Speaking at the event, Dr Oyebanji reiterated the commitment of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Biodun Oyebanji to supporting petty traders, widows, and vulnerable residents through initiatives designed to improve livelihoods and reduce poverty.
Items distributed during the programme included deep freezers, generators, sewing machines, grinding machines, hairdressing kits, and agricultural inputs such as modern farm sprayers, alongside direct cash grants.
According to the First Lady, the initiative is a strategic intervention designed to strengthen women-owned businesses, expand grassroots economic opportunities, and promote inclusive wealth creation and poverty alleviation across the state.
Dr Oyebanji expressed appreciation to Senator Oluremi Tinubu for her continued support for Ekiti State, highlighting notable interventions such as the commissioning of an ICT Centre at Ekiti State University and the ₦100 million empowerment grant for 2,000 women.
“Today is another clear demonstration of our commitment to improving the lives of Ekiti people, especially our hardworking women, who remain the backbone of our homes, communities, and economy,” she said.
She added that, through the generosity of the Nigerian First Lady, 2,000 women would receive ₦50,000 each to strengthen their businesses and improve their livelihoods. In addition, 1,300 beneficiaries—particularly widows and vulnerable women—would receive cash support and empowerment items through the WAOH Foundation.
Dr Oyebanji also commended Governor Biodun Oyebanji for his people-oriented leadership, noting that his administration continues to attract development opportunities to the state. She further disclosed that the governor had pledged continued payment of the state’s counterpart funding to ensure that women in the remaining local government areas benefit from the Nigeria Women Project Scale-Up Community Investment Fund, jointly funded by the World Bank and the Ekiti State Government.
Representing Governor Oyebanji at the event, the Chief of Staff, Mr. Niyi Adebayo, praised Ekiti women for their contributions to grassroots and economic development. He also highlighted improvements in the state’s healthcare sector, stating that child mortality had reduced significantly from 40 per 1,000 births to 18 per 1,000 births under the current administration.
Several dignitaries delivered goodwill messages, including the Deputy Governor, Chief (Mrs.) Mojisade Afuye; Deputy Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Bolaji Olagbaju; Commissioner for Women Affairs, Mrs. Peju Babafemi; and Commissioner for Education, Dr. Bimpe Aderiye.
They commended Senator Oluremi Tinubu for her contributions to women’s development and empowerment in Ekiti State and acknowledged the positive impact of the various initiatives targeted at improving the welfare and economic well-being of women across the state.
The event attracted beneficiaries, community leaders, government officials, and other stakeholders who celebrated the empowerment initiative as a significant step toward enhancing women’s economic participation and improving household incomes across Ekiti State.