Niger State approves N1 billion to empower 75,000 women

The Niger State Government has significantly advanced its efforts to empower over 75,000 women with the approval of N1 billion in counterpart funds. State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago sanctioned this funding as a matching grant for the Nigeria for Women Project (NFWP), a World Bank initiative focused on improving women’s livelihoods.

Governor Bago’s commitment to empowering women for grassroots development was reiterated during his visit to the Hazaka Women Affinity Group in Tufa Community, Gurara Local Government Area earlier this year.

The project will see the construction of 41 collective centers, designated as processing mills, for the registered women in Affinity Groups across Gurara, Agaie, and Wushishi Local Government Areas. These centers will include 32 for rice processing, 8 for groundnut processing, and 1 for shea butter.

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To ensure timely completion, Deputy Chief of Staff to the Governor, Sadiq Yusuf, and State Project Coordinator, Bello Sarki, inspected the ongoing construction in the benefiting areas. These centers aim to promote women’s independence, improve economic status, and enhance food security.

Additionally, the Governor has directed the Ministries of Education and Humanitarian Affairs to purchase the processed products from these women for school feeding programs and other humanitarian efforts. This initiative is designed to unify women, boost their economic viability, support their households, and encourage the formation of cooperatives and savings groups.