• Aims at millions of women in new empowerment drive

FEDERAL Government yesterday launched Nigeria’s National Halal Economy Strategy, a comprehensive framework designed to position the country within the estimated $7.7 trillion global halal market and unlock up to $12 billion in domestic economic value over the next decade.

President Bola Tinubu, represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, performed the unveiling at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, describing the strategy as a decisive step toward export diversification, foreign direct investment inflows and large-scale job creation across key sectors of the economy.

Shettima said the initiative signalled Nigeria’s readiness to compete in a fast-growing global marketplace increasingly defined by quality standards, traceability and ethical production systems rather than narrow religious interpretations.

He added that the strategy was projected to contribute an estimated $1.5 billion to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product by 2027 if effectively implemented.

He disclosed that the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment would chair the National Halal Strategy Committee to coordinate implementation across ministries, departments and agencies as well as the private sector.

Outlining the strategy’s targets, Shettima said Nigeria aimed to expand halal-compliant food exports, develop pharmaceutical and cosmetic value chains, position itself as a halal-friendly tourism destination and mobilise ethical finance at scale by 2030.

In remarks, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Dar Al-Halal Group Nigeria Limited, Alhaji Muhammadu Dikko Ladan, said the strategy opens new export corridors and foreign investment opportunities, revealing that an onboarding programme was underway to link Nigerian companies to the Saudi Arabian market and other destinations.

ALSO yesterday, the Federal Government intensified calls for stronger financial and technical backing from the World Bank, the Gates Foundation and other development partners to accelerate support for women-led enterprises, describing such investments as critical to Nigeria’s economic diversification, job creation and long-term social stability.

President Tinubu appealed at the Banquet Hall of the State House, Abuja, during the formal launch of the scale-up phase of the Nigeria for Women Programme (NFWP), where he also declared 2026 as the “Year of Families and Social Development” in a renewed push for inclusive growth and gender-responsive governance.

Represented by Shettima, the President said no nation could achieve sustainable progress while sidelining half of its population, stressing that women must remain central to national planning, leadership and economic expansion.
He noted that the administration had deliberately placed women at the forefront of decision-making, describing them as “authors” of Nigeria’s development story rather than passive beneficiaries.

Earlier, the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Imaan Suleiman-Ibrahim, described the scale-up as one of the most ambitious social and economic empowerment expansions in Nigeria’s history, positioning women as primary drivers of economic growth, democratic stability and social cohesion.

Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and Governor of Kwara State, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, represented by the Deputy Governor of Katsina State, Faruk Lawal Jobe, reaffirmed the commitment of state governments to the nationwide expansion of the initiative.

Also speaking, a representative of the World Bank’s Africa Practice, Robert Chase, said the programme would place women at the centre of inclusive growth and shared prosperity, describing it as a flagship platform for delivering women’s economic empowerment at scale.

The Gates Foundation equally endorsed the scale-up, describing women-centred investments as among the smartest economic decisions Nigeria could make.