Ogun State Government yesterday launched a women empowerment initiative under the Nigeria for Women Project Scale-Up (NFWP-SU), designed to transform the livelihoods of over 105,000 women across four councils through improved access to finance, skills, and social capital to boost economic growth.
Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Adijat Adeleye, who made this known at the kick-off ceremony held at Akute, Ifo council of the state, mentioned Ifo, Ijebu-Ode, Sagamu, and Ado-Odo/Ota, as council areas the project is expected to cover at the moment.
Adeleye stated that the project structure would be driven by 420 Ward Facilitators, each responsible for forming ten (10) Women Affinity Groups (WAGs), a non-political group, consisting of Twenty-Five (25) women per group, adding that the process would culminate in the establishment of 4,200 WAGs across the participating LGAs, creating a strong network of economically active women.
She noted that the Women Affinity Group was not created for political means but to ensure that women were trained in financial literacy and entrepreneurship skills to improve their means of livelihood and living conditions, as well as help them navigate through the current economic hardships occasioned by fuel subsidy removal.
“These Women Affinity Groups are not just gatherings; they are safe, transparent, and non-political spaces where women will learn financial literacy, entrepreneurship, savings, and investment. For many unbanked women, this will serve as their first connection to the formal economy, a veritable platform to save together, grow together, and rise together,” she said.
The Commissioner noted that the new phase of the project would build on the success of the first phase implemented in Odeda, Yewa North, Ijebu North-East, and Ikenne LGAs, which earned accolades and national commendations, including recognition from the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) and other States of the Federation who visited to understudy.
Adeleye, however, canvassed more support for the project from the traditional rulers, community leaders, and grassroots stakeholders to embrace the initiative, urging them not to leave the project in the hands of government alone, while calling on the beneficiaries to make judicious use of the opportunities obtained from the initiative
“The Scale-Up Project is not just a government program but a movement to institutionalise women’s economic empowerment across the Gateway State.” She urged women beneficiaries to seize the opportunity with courage and commitment, assuring that the State would continue to serve as a model for women-focused development initiatives in the country,” she added
The State Project Coordinator, NFWP-SU, Mrs Bolanle Fadairo, explained that the first phase of the project covered four Local Government Areas, including Ikenne, Ijebu North-East, Odeda, and Yewa North, stressing that the project was an initiative of the Federal Government which had been implemented across six states.
Fadairo explained that the Scale-Up phase involved intensive training for facilitators and the formation of Women Affinity Groups (WAGs), small groups of 25 women each, working collectively to build financial strength and improve their livelihoods.
“The aim is for these women to rise together, scale up together, and sustain their growth through shared learning, savings, and enterprise support,” she said.
She added that the formation of the Women Affinity Groups in Ifo Local Government was a major milestone for the project in the State, expressing that on the successful completion of the training modules, the groups would be provided with an investment grant to boost their businesses and strengthen women-led economic activities at the grassroots.
In her goodwill message, the Chairman, Akute Central Community Development Council, Moradeun Ogundele, commended the initiative, explaining that such would improve the socio-economic condition of the beneficiaries, while promoting financial independence at the grassroots level.
