The Honourable Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hon. Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, fsi, joined the Ogun State Government for the flag-off, which marks a significant milestone in strengthening women’s economic empowerment, collective enterprise and sustainable livelihoods through organised Women Affinity Groups.

The Community Investment Fund is designed to provide eligible WAGs with resources to expand their businesses, strengthen their enterprises, create jobs, increase household incomes and contribute to local economic development. Ogun State has established 5,394 Women Affinity Groups comprising 127,105 members across seven Local Government Areas, with coverage extending to 3,489 communities. Under the program, the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development has trained 368 Ward Facilitators, while the groups have recorded collective savings of ₦2,692,257,200 and disbursed a total of ₦4,005,853,050 in loans among their members.

The disbursement of the ₦6 billion Community Investment Fund further demonstrates the commitment of the Federal and Ogun State Governments to providing women with the capital and support required to grow their enterprises, improve productivity and contribute meaningfully to economic development.

Speaking at the flag-off, the Honourable Minister, represented by the Chairman, Governing Council, Maryam Babangida National Centre for Women Development, and Special Assistant, Technical and Community Engagement, Princess Jummai Idonije, commended the Ogun State Government for its sustained commitment to women’s economic empowerment. She also applauded the women beneficiaries for demonstrating the transformative value of collective organisation, disciplined savings, mutual support and enterprise development.

The Honourable Minister stated that the initiative reflects the people-centred vision of the Renewed Hope Agenda of the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, whose administration has continued to prioritise inclusive economic growth, social protection, women’s empowerment and opportunities for vulnerable and underserved Nigerians. She noted that the Federal Government’s interventions are designed to ensure that women are not merely beneficiaries of development, but active participants and drivers of economic transformation. According to her, empowering women strengthens families, expands local economies, improves community resilience and contributes directly to national prosperity.

The Honourable Minister urged the beneficiary groups to utilise the Fund responsibly, maintain transparent and accurate records, invest productively and uphold the principles of accountability, cooperation and sustainability. She encouraged them to use the opportunity to expand their businesses, increase incomes, create employment and improve the welfare of their families and communities.

She further encouraged the Ogun State Government and implementing partners to connect the Women Affinity Groups to wider opportunities under the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Social Impact Interventions–774 (RH-SII 774), including access to finance, markets, digital skills, agriculture and value chains, clean energy, enterprise development and other productive opportunities.

The Minister acknowledged the partnership and contributions of the Ogun State Government, the World Bank, the NFWP-SU Federal Project Coordinating Unit, community leaders, implementing partners and other stakeholders whose support has continued to advance the successful implementation of the programme. She reaffirmed Ministry’s commitment to strengthening collaboration with State Governments and development partners to ensure that women, particularly those in rural, poor and underserved communities, have greater access to productive resources, finance, skills, markets and opportunities.

The flag-off represents a renewed partnership between the Federal Government and the Ogun State Government to strengthen women’s economic participation, deepen grassroots development and build stronger women, stronger families and more resilient communities in line with the Renewed Hope vision of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR.