100,000 Nigerian Women Build Businesses Through New Program

When Governor Dapo Abiodun saw the opportunity to transform lives at the grassroots level, he didn't just support the Nigeria for Women Programme. He made it his own mission.

Now, 100,000 women across Ogun State have received the training, resources, and skills to build sustainable businesses. The World Bank-supported initiative has created 8,759 Women Affinity Groups spanning all 20 local government areas in the state.

The program goes far beyond financial handouts. Women receive training in financial management, record-keeping, gender awareness, and life skills that help them create lasting change for their families and communities.

Governor Abiodun explained his vision during a Monday visit from UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed. "Not all women are able to contest elections or be appointed Commissioners," he said. "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."

The results speak for themselves. Ogun State exceeded its original target by 105 percent, reaching 247,273 women since the program launched in 2020 as one of six pilot states.

The Ripple Effect

The transformation happening in Ogun hasn't gone unnoticed. Delegations from more than 25 Nigerian states have visited to study the model and bring it home to their own communities.

UN Deputy Secretary-General Mohammed praised the approach, noting that the women demonstrated resilience, creativity, and enterprise when given the right support. "You have shown that you started small and you are growing," she told the beneficiaries during her visit.

Mohammed promised to share Ogun's success story as proof of what happens when governments invest deliberately in women. "A seed was sown in Ogun State for the women of Nigeria, and that seed is growing," she said. "A country is as strong as its women."

State Coordinator Bola Fadairo emphasized that the scale of participation shows what's possible when commitment meets opportunity. Women who might have remained outside conventional economic structures now run businesses that support their households and strengthen their communities.

Governor Abiodun's hope is simple: expand the program nationwide so every Nigerian woman who needs support can access it. The evidence from Ogun State proves that when women gain economic power, entire families and communities rise with them.