Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago has committed about N2 billion to scale up the Nigeria for Women Project (NFWP) in the state.
The state Technical Adviser, World Bank Project, Mr Eyoung Sunday Eyoung, disclosed this during the introduction of the scale-up phase of the project in Chanchaga Local Government Area of the State.
Eyoung said the project commenced implementation in Niger state in 2021 in three pilot local government areas of Gurara, Wushishi and Agaie where about 75,000 women were reached.
He explained that many of the beneficiaries were empowered with livelihood grants and supported to establish and grow businesses.
“Some of the women who had no businesses were taught how to start one, and today many of them are employers of labour through their various enterprises,” he said.
Eyoung noted that when Bago assumed office, he visited Gurara to assess the project firsthand.
According to him, he saw how the women were organising themselves to save, borrow, repay loans and expand their businesses.
“There and then, he committed to funding the project alongside the World Bank and directed that it be extended to all LGAs in the state.
“The governor has already committed over N2 billion and has assured that he will do more as implementation continues,” he said.
According to him, the team was in Chanchaga to introduce the project, mobilise women and improve their livelihoods to enable them contribute meaningfully to their households and communities.
He said the project also facilitated access to bank accounts for women to promote financial inclusion.
“In Chanchaga alone, we are looking to mobilise over 40,000 women who will be supported to establish businesses and become self-reliant.
“Our target is to replicate this in each LGA, producing not less than 40,000 empowered women per council,” he added.
Eyoung commended the governor for his commitment to women empowerment, describing it as a legacy that would stand the test of time.
Also speaking, the State Coordinator of NFWP, Mr Mohammed Sarki-Bello, said 75,575 women benefitted during the pilot phase in Agaie, Gurara and Wushishi.
He said the scale-up phase would commence in Chanchaga, which has about 169,000 women between the ages of 18 and 60.
“We are looking to work with women groups with strong membership across the LGA to ensure inclusiveness and impact.
“The governor’s N2 billion commitment is to ensure that women across the state benefit from the project,” he said.
In his remark, the Chairman of Chanchaga Local Government Area, Dr Mustapha Jibrin, lauded the Farmer Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago developmental strides in infrastructure and pledged the council’s full support for the project.
He said the Governor had also pledged to match, dollar for dollar to any funding support provided by the World Bank.
“This is a great development for us. We will provide all the necessary collaboration to ensure the success of the project, just like the governor is passionate about women well-being, he said.
Jibrin, however, appealed to the World Bank to consider introducing a similar intervention targeted at youths to help reduce unemployment and insecurity.
He assured that the council would remain focused on supporting women under the current project to achieve its set objectives.
In her remark, the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Hadizat Kuta, described the initiative as a significant boost to women empowerment in the state.
She said empowering women was key to national development and expressed optimism that women across the state would be effectively mobilised and registered in clusters under the project..
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