Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has empowered another set of 500 women in Ondo State through her Renewed Hope Initiative Support Scheme, in collaboration with the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Mrs. Adejoke Adefulure.
The fresh round of empowerment, which took place in Akure on Saturday, comes only weeks after 500 other women in the state received ₦50,000 each under the Initiative’s Economic Empowerment Programme, executed in partnership with the Tony Elumelu Foundation.
This time, beneficiaries received deep freezers, gas cookers with ovens, grinding machines, and generators—equipment aimed at strengthening their small businesses and ensuring long-term self-reliance.
Representing the First Lady at the distribution, Ondo State’s First Lady, Mrs. Oluwaseun Aiyedatiwa, said the programme underscores a nationwide commitment to women’s economic independence.
“This initiative will touch 18,500 women across Nigeria’s six geo-political zones. Women are pillars of the home and the society. By empowering them, we are reducing poverty and building a stronger nation,” she said, cautioning beneficiaries against selling the items.
Also speaking, Mrs. Adefulure—represented by Dr. Ifeyinwa Nnamchi-Ukaegbu—hailed the scheme as a bold step towards tackling poverty and fostering entrepreneurship among women nationwide.
“This is not just distribution of items, but unlocking potential, building sustainable livelihoods, and aligning with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. When a woman is empowered, a family thrives, a community grows, and a nation prospers,” she said.
The Ondo State Commissioner for Women Affairs, Dr. Seun Osamaye, who doubles as the state coordinator of the programme, assured that the intervention would make the beneficiaries economically viable and fulfilled.
Some of the women beneficiaries expressed heartfelt appreciation, describing the gesture as unprecedented and a direct channel of national opportunities to grassroots women.
With Ondo State now twice benefiting from the Renewed Hope Initiative in just a matter of weeks, the scheme continues to position women as drivers of economic resilience and social stability.
