In a move to boost grassroots entrepreneurship and strengthen rural economies, Dangote Cement Plc has awarded ₦100,000 cash grants to women in its host communities in Gboko, Benue State. The initiative targets small-scale female entrepreneurs, offering them financial support to grow their businesses and improve household welfare.
According to the Group Head of Social Performance, the grants are non-refundable and specifically designed to help women expand operations, upgrade tools, and boost their earnings. He noted that empowering women at the local level is key to disrupting cycles of poverty and fostering long-term economic development.
The selection process was carried out in collaboration with traditional leaders and the Dangote Community Consultative Committee, ensuring transparency and alignment with local needs. The company also committed to tracking the impact of the grants by monitoring how the women utilize the funds and the tangible outcomes achieved.
Representing the Acting Plant Director, a company official announced that the women’s empowerment programme will become an annual event. He also hinted at upcoming initiatives focused on youth skills development and agricultural support, reinforcing the company’s broader commitment to community advancement.
Beneficiaries, including cassava farmer Ruth Tser and trader Mrs. Vishigh Msurshiona, expressed their appreciation and promised to invest the funds in their businesses to drive long-term growth.
Dangote Cement’s intervention adds to the growing wave of private-sector efforts aimed at closing economic gaps and strengthening local enterprise across Nigeria.
