In a powerful address at a High-Level Side Event of the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 80) in New York, Her Excellency, the Honorable Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hon Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, shared Nigeria’s transformative success in empowering women economically, presenting the Nigeria for Women Project (NFWP) as a scalable global model.
The event, titled “Scaling Women’s Economic Empowerment: Financing Inclusive Growth for Peace, Development, and Human Rights,” gathered global leaders, First Ladies, heads of international agencies, and the private sector’s. The discussion centered on proven strategies to fund initiatives that unlock the vast potential of women worldwide.
The Human Face of Empowerment
Setting a resonant tone, the Honorable Minister moved the conversation beyond statistics to the people at its heart.
“When I think about women’s economic empowerment, I don’t think first of numbers or policies. I think of faces,” she stated. “The faces of millions of women… who are not waiting for handouts but for the scaffolding to build their own future.”
This powerful metaphor captured the core mission of the NFWP: not to provide aid, but to build a supportive structure that allows women to thrive on their own terms sustainably.
The Nigeria for Women Project: A Proven Success
The Minister showcased the NFWP as Nigeria’s most significant women’s economic empowerment platform, delivering tangible results:
- Over 460,000 Women Mobilized into Women Affinity Groups (WAGs).
- ₦4.9 Billion Saved collectively by the women themselves.
- Investing in Futures: Through inter-loaning, these savings have helped women expand their businesses, cover healthcare costs, and pay school fees, directly investing in their families’ well-being.
- About 300,000 cottage industries to enhance the beneficiaries’ livelihood in Agriculture (Cassava, Rice, Groundnut Oil, Oil Palm, Sheabutter, and Tailoring, etc)
Our Core Belief: The Ripple Effect
The event reinforced a fundamental belief: “When we empower a woman, we empower a household.” This simple truth has a monumental impact. As the Minister declared, “When we empower millions of women, we recalibrate an entire economy.”
The call to action was clear and urgent: “To transform the future, we must scale what works, and we must finance what matters.” The Nigeria for Women Project is living proof of what works.
