Ogun State Government, in partnership with the Federal Government and the World Bank, has commenced the disbursement of the Sixbillion Community Investment Fund (CIF) to 3,855 Women Affinity Groups (WAGs) across four Local Government Areas of the state.

The intervention under the Nigeria for Women Programme Scale-Up (NFWP-SU) is aimed at expanding women-led businesses, strengthening household livelihoods and deepening women’s participation in economic activities.

Speaking at the flag-off ceremony yesterday at Ijebu-Ode, the State Governor, Dapo Abiodun said that the intervention was designed to give women greater capacity to move from subsistence activities to sustainable enterprises, while improving incomes and strengthening families.

Abiodun, who was represented by the Former Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Hon. Adijat Adeleye disclosed that the beneficiary women had collectively saved ₦2.6 billion over the past seven months, while total loans accessed through the groups had risen to over ₦4 billion.

He described the figures as evidence of the financial discipline and commitment developed by the WAGs, stressing that the ₦6 billion CIF is not an outright grant but a sustainable revolving financing facility designed to provide capital for establishing and expanding businesses, create employment, generate income as well as, improving household welfare.

“Today, we gather not merely to mark the disbursement of a fund, but to celebrate another important step in our deliberate journey of empowering women, strengthening families and expanding opportunities for sustainable livelihoods,”

“These figures are more than statistics; they are compelling evidence of the financial discipline, trust, commitment and readiness that the Women Affinity Groups have developed under the programme,” the governor said.

He explained that the intervention builds on the parent Nigeria for Women Project, which commenced implementation in Ogun in December 2020 after being signed between the World Bank and the Federal Government in 2018.

Abiodun said that the parent project established 3,792 WAGs across 1,003 communities in Odeda, Ikenne, Ijebu North East and Yewa North, while 368 Ward Facilitators were trained and deployed, with 67,094 women beneficiaries receiving individual grants in April 2022.

He opined that the beneficiary groups had demonstrated their readiness by meeting programme requirements, including regular participation, savings and internal lending, opening of bank accounts and preparation of Micro-Investment.

The governor added that the Scale-Up phase has expanded to seven LGAs including Ifo, Ado-Odo/Ota, Ijebu-Ode, Sagamu, Abeokuta North, Ipokia and Remo North, where 5,394 WAGs have been formed, reaching 124,062 women as of September 21, 2026.

“The programme has also covered 3,489 communities, with 664 trained Ward Facilitators, while about 26 states have visited Ogun to understudy its model and the World Bank has adopted the State as a training hub”, he stated.

Abiodun stressed that the WAG model goes beyond financial access, covering financial literacy, savings, responsible borrowing, entrepreneurship, gender awareness, life skills, health insurance, climate adaptation, strategic partnerships, and NIN enrolment.

“In other words, the programme is building not only businesses, but knowledgeable, financially disciplined and economically resilient women,”he said.

The governor reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to providing the policy support and institutional collaboration required to complement the intervention, while appreciating the World Bank, Federal Project Coordinating Unit and other partners for their support and congratulating the 124,062 women reached under the Scale-Up phase.

Also speaking, the Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim,
described the initiative as a strategic economic intervention consistent with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, stressing that expanding women’s economic opportunities was central to inclusive national development.

Sulaiman-Ibrahim, who was represented by the Special Assistant on Technical Management, Princess Jummaih Idonije, commended the State for always taking the lead, with an admonition to the beneficiaries to keep the flag flying by being good model to other WAGs in all the participating Local Government Areas.

The World Bank Task Team Manager, Michael Ilesanmi, underscored the broader significance of the intervention, noting that the programme was helping to bridge financial access gaps for women while building their capacity to withstand economic pressures.

The State Commissioner for Finance, who is also the Chairman of the Multi-Sectoral Committee of the NFWP-SU, Hon. Dapo Okubadejo, said the intervention reflected the importance of deliberately investing in women, who play significant roles as traders, farmers, processors, artisans, entrepreneurs and community builders.

Okubadejo, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, Barr. Adebimpe Obienu, commended the World Bank, the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and other stakeholders for their contributions to the implementation of the programme, while acknowledging the support of community leaders for the acceptability of the programme from its early stages.

The beneficiaries of the intervention, including Oyesanya Omotoke of Irede WAG in Sagamu, Ayomide Ogunleye of Ifeoluwa WAG in Ijebu-Ode, and Adesola Teriba, Chairperson of Success WAG in Abeokuta North, expressed appreciation for the opportunity created through the programme.

They highlighted the importance of the fund in supporting women to strengthen their businesses and improve their livelihoods, while commending the structured WAG model for encouraging savings, internal lending, financial discipline and collective responsibility.

The beneficiaries pledged to utilise the funds responsibly for productive economic activities, sustain the culture of savings and accountability promoted by the programme, and ensure that the intervention translates into stronger businesses, increased household incomes and improved livelihoods for their families and communities.

They further encouraged women who are already participating in the WAGs, as well as those yet to join, to embrace the opportunities offered by the programme, stressing the importance of financial literacy, consistent savings, responsible borrowing and proper record-keeping.

PHOTO CAPTION
L-R: State Project Coordinator, Mrs. Bolanle Fadairo, representative of the Minister for Women Affairs, Princess Jummaih Idonije, former commissioner for women affairs and social development, Ogun State, Hon. Motunrayo Adijat Adeleye, national Project Coordinator, NFWP-SU, Hadiza Maina and a representative of a beneficiary Women Affinity Group