First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, in partnership with the Tony Elumelu Foundation, has disbursed N50,000 each to 500 women in Enugu State to strengthen their small businesses under the Women Economic Empowerment Program.
The initiative, part of the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI)/Tony Elumelu Foundation Women Economic Empowerment Programme, targets 18,500 women across Nigeria with recapitalization grants. Beneficiaries in Enugu were drawn from all 17 local council areas of the state.
Speaking at the flag-off ceremony in Enugu, Tinubu, represented by Enugu State First Lady Nkechinyere Mbah, stressed that the support was not a loan but a direct grant aimed at boosting women-owned enterprises.
“I am delighted to be here to flag off the Women Economic Empowerment Programme of the Renewed Hope Initiative in conjunction with the Tony Elumelu Foundation in Enugu State. Let me emphasize that this is not a loan. It is a grant and a seed of renewed hope to help you recapitalize your existing businesses,” Tinubu said.
She added, “It is my firm belief that when you empower a woman, you empower a household, a community, and indeed, a nation.”
The First Lady commended the Tony Elumelu Foundation for its N1 billion donation to the program, which will directly support 500 women in each of the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. She urged the beneficiaries to put the grants to effective use in growing their businesses.
One of the recipients, Theresa Agor from Uzouwani Council Area, expressed gratitude for the intervention. “My heart is filled with joy with this support, and may God bless the First Lady and the Elumelu Foundation for this kind gesture,” she said.
The Enugu disbursement follows similar exercises in other states, including Nasarawa, where 500 women recently received the same N50,000 support to boost their livelihoods.
