The Federal Government (FG) has raised concerns over the growing socio-economic challenges confronting more than two million widows in Nigeria, warning that harmful traditional practices, denial of inheritance rights, economic exclusion and inadequate social protection continue to undermine the dignity and wellbeing of thousands of women across the country.

 

Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, who made the disclosure yesterday in a statement marking the 2026 International Widows’ Day, said widowhood remains a major development and human rights challenge requiring urgent policy intervention and stronger legal enforcement.

 

The minister noted that while widowhood is often accompanied by emotional trauma, many women also face additional hardships, including loss of property, economic insecurity, social exclusion and discriminatory cultural practices.

 

According to her, Nigeria’s estimated two million widows form a significant segment of the population whose welfare directly impacts family stability, child development and national productivity.

 

“Widowhood should never become a sentence to poverty, exclusion, discrimination or despair. Yet for far too many women, the loss of a spouse is followed by the loss of inheritance, economic security, shelter, social protection and, in some cases, dignity itself,” she said.

 

The minister spoke as Nigeria joined the global community to commemorate the 2026 International Widows’ Day with the theme, “Justice, Dignity and Economic Power for Widows.”

 

She observed that widows often shoulder the dual burden of caregiving and breadwinning, particularly in low-income households where access to social safety nets remains limited.

 

Globally, an estimated 258 million women are widows, many of whom face economic and social vulnerabilities, according to international estimates.

 

Sulaiman-Ibrahim condemned the continued existence of harmful widowhood practices in some communities, describing them as violations of human rights and obstacles to national development.

 

The practices, she said, include degrading mourning rites, forced confinement, property grabbing, denial of inheritance rights, forced remarriage, accusations surrounding the death of spouses and various forms of psychological and economic abuse.

 

“These practices are repugnant to natural justice, equity, good conscience and the dignity of the human person, and have no place in a modern society,” she said.

 

The minister stressed that such acts are punishable under Nigerian law.

 

She noted that the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, 2015, criminalises harmful widowhood practices and prescribes penalties of up to two years imprisonment or a fine of N500,000, or both, for offenders.

 

The government, she said, would continue to strengthen enforcement and public awareness to ensure that widows are protected from abuse and discrimination.

 

The minister linked the plight of widows to broader national conversations on social protection, gender equality and economic inclusion, arguing that sustainable development cannot be achieved if vulnerable women remain trapped in poverty.

 

To address these challenges, she said the Federal Government has expanded programmes targeted at widows through the Renewed Hope Social Impact Intervention (RHSII-774), designed to reach communities across the country’s 774 local government areas.

 

Under the initiative, 17 clusters of widows comprising 50 women each were enrolled into the National Health Insurance Scheme in partnership with Helpline Support for the Needy, providing access to affordable healthcare services.

 

In addition, each cluster received N500,000 grants to support cooperative enterprises, strengthen livelihoods and promote income-generating activities.

 

According to the minister, many of the beneficiaries have expanded small businesses, diversified income sources and embraced urban farming initiatives aimed at improving household food security and resilience.

 

She added that thousands of widows across the country have also benefited from vocational training, entrepreneurship development, agricultural support, financial inclusion programmes, start-up kits, digital skills acquisition and psychosocial support services.

 

“We are witnessing a powerful shift from vulnerability to productivity, from dependence to enterprise, and from survival to economic participation,” she said.

 

Development experts have repeatedly identified widows among the groups most vulnerable to multidimensional poverty, particularly in rural communities where access to land ownership, financial services and formal employment opportunities remains limited.

 

Analysts argue that strengthening inheritance rights, expanding social protection programmes and improving access to credit and healthcare could significantly improve the economic wellbeing of widows and their families.

 

The minister therefore called on traditional rulers, religious leaders, development partners, civil society organisations and governments at all levels to intensify efforts aimed at eliminating harmful widowhood practices and expanding opportunities for widows.

 

She said the declaration of 2026 as the Year of Families and Social Development reflects government’s commitment to strengthening family systems and protecting vulnerable groups, including widows.

 

“As we commemorate this day, every widow must know: you are seen, you are valued, and you are not forgotten. Your strength continues to sustain families, and your contributions remain vital to national development,” she said.

 

The minister also linked the observance to the Ministry’s National Women Mega Empowerment and Rally initiative, which seeks to mobilise millions of women across the country around issues of economic empowerment, inclusion and social development.

 

Stakeholders have meanwhile urged stronger implementation of existing laws protecting widows, increased access to legal aid, improved social welfare programmes and greater public awareness campaigns to challenge discriminatory cultural practices that continue to affect widows in many communities.

 

For many widows, advocates say, the challenge is no longer simply surviving the loss of a spouse but overcoming the economic and social barriers that often follow.

 

The International Widows’ Day observance, they argue, presents another opportunity for government and society to move beyond sympathy towards concrete actions that guarantee justice, dignity and economic power for widows.