Benin: The National Project Coordinator of the Nigeria for Women Programme (NFWP), Dr. Hadiza Maina, has announced plans for the initiative’s nationwide scale-up, aiming to reach approximately four million women. This announcement was made on the sidelines of the National Council on Women Affairs and Child Development in Edo State, following a presentation of the programme’s impact Scorecard.
According to Voice of Nigeria, the pilot phase (2019-2024), which was conducted in six states-Niger, Kebbi, Taraba, Cross River, Abia, and Ogun-initially aimed to empower 300,000 women but exceeded expectations by reaching over 450,000 women. Dr. Maina emphasized the programme’s focus on sustainable empowerment through Women Affinity Groups (WAGs), which function as central platforms for savings, lending, and capacity building.
Dr. Maina explained that each WAG consists of 15 to 25 women who self-select based on community-specific criteria. These groups serve as the “nerve centre” for the programme’s scale-up projects, offering training in financial inclusion, literacy, health, nutrition, reproductive health services, water sanitation, digital skills, and climate-smart farming.
She praised the World Bank for its role as a pivotal technical partner, highlighting the increased interest from state governors seeking inclusion in the programme. “When you empower a woman, you empower a household, you empower a community, you rid the place of youth restiveness,” she said.
Looking ahead, the programme aims to expand its reach to four million women across 32 states, with plans to establish 170,000 WAGs nationwide, compared to the 22,000 formed during the pilot phase. Dr. Maina emphasized inclusivity, stressing that the programme would support women in IDPs, refugees, and those living with disabilities.
Dr. Maina emphasized the programme’s sustainable nature, noting that it is “not the usual dole out of palliative” but a long-term economic empowerment model. She illustrated the transformative impact of the initiative, describing scenarios where women have attained economic freedom through livelihood support.
Aligned with the Renewed Hope Agenda, the NFWP aims to enable rural and peri-urban women to contribute to Nigeria’s GDP, aspiring towards a trillion-dollar economy by 2030. Dr. Maina expressed gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Minister of Women Affairs for their support, acknowledging their roles in advancing the Renewed Hope Agenda.
The NFWP, an economic empowerment initiative of the Federal Government of Nigeria in partnership with the World Bank, seeks to improve women’s earnings and enhance resilience at household and community levels. By reinforcing Women Affinity Groups, the programme strengthens platforms for financial inclusion, savings, business and life skills development, and access to markets and resources, advancing national goals of shared prosperity and sustainable development.