Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has rolled out a nationwide grant programme providing ₦200,000 each to 9,500 Persons With Disabilities, a major boost for micro and small business owners often excluded from formal support systems.
The initiative was flagged off with 250 physically challenged military and police veterans at Mambilla Barracks in Abuja to mark the International Day of Persons With Disabilities. According to the First Lady, empowering vulnerable entrepreneurs strengthens national productivity by enabling every citizen to contribute meaningfully.
The Renewed Hope Initiative, which has supported more than 100,000 women petty traders, small business owners, and PWD entrepreneurs since 2023, described the new disbursement as part of a long-term plan to expand economic inclusion. Many beneficiaries run microbusinesses in retail, services, food trade, and home-based production — sectors where small capital injections can accelerate growth.
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The First Lady said the programme aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s goal of inclusive prosperity through MSME support. She announced that the PWD Economic Empowerment Programme will now be an annual event, giving more entrepreneurs with disabilities the financial backing to scale their ventures.
Beneficiaries were urged to use the grant as seed capital to stabilise or grow their businesses, reinforcing PWD participation in Nigeria’s small-enterprise ecosystem.
