The Office of the Vice President has launched the Advancing Sustainable Heritage and Autonomy (ASHA) project, an initiative designed to empower 200,000 women across Nigeria through renewable energy, digital literacy, entrepreneurship, and banking support.
The project, inaugurated at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, is coordinated by the Presidential Committee on Economic and Financial Inclusion (PreCEFI), the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP), and WawuAfrica, a Pan-African digital platform that connects women professionals, artisans, and entrepreneurs with tools, communities, and opportunities to grow their businesses sustainably.
Speaking at the inauguration, Dr Nurudeen Zauro, Technical Adviser to the President on Economic and Financial Inclusion, described ASHA as a major step toward advancing women’s economic inclusion in Nigeria. He explained that the project’s pilot phase would focus on financially and technologically empowering women to seize opportunities within renewable energy and entrepreneurship sectors.
Zauro highlighted the government’s resolve under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration to elevate women’s participation in the economy, noting that empowering women remains the most sustainable way to reduce poverty nationwide. He stressed that women’s economic advancement was central to inclusive growth and long-term national development.
He also acknowledged the importance of partnerships, noting that government alone could not meet the nation’s empowerment goals. He said the ASHA initiative would rely on strong collaborations with both local and international private sector partners to deliver measurable and lasting impact.
The ASHA project reflects the administration’s broader vision of promoting economic autonomy for women and integrating them into Nigeria’s expanding digital and renewable energy landscape, creating pathways for self-reliance, innovation, and sustainable growth.
