By Frank Ulom
ABUJA (CONVERSEER) – The Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, has disclosed that approximately 70 per cent of Nigerian women live in extreme poverty, calling for urgent and coordinated measures to empower women economically and socially across the country.
She made the revelation on Friday in Abuja during the inauguration of the Federal Steering Committee for the Nigeria for Women Programme Scale-Up Project (NFWP-SU), where the Federal Government endorsed the project’s Terms of Reference and work plan for its nationwide rollout.
Sulaiman-Ibrahim said the scale-up phase of the initiative marks a major transformation in how social protection and women’s empowerment are delivered in Nigeria. According to her, the new framework integrates financial inclusion, livelihood support, and social security into a unified national delivery system.
“It is now expanding to all 36 states and the FCT, integrating lessons from its initial phase and aligning with our broader Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Agenda,” she stated. “This scale-up brings financial inclusion, livelihood support, and social protection together under one national delivery platform.”
Tackling Women’s Poverty
The Minister lamented that nearly seven in ten women in Nigeria live in extreme poverty, particularly in rural areas where access to education, finance, and economic opportunities remains severely limited.
She explained that the new phase of the programme aims to change this narrative by improving women’s access to finance, increasing household income, and positioning women as key contributors to national economic growth.
“This approach replaces fragmented interventions with a systemic model capable of reshaping local economies, reducing household vulnerability, and positioning women as the drivers of Nigeria’s inclusive growth, resilience, and long-term stability,” Sulaiman-Ibrahim said.
She added that the project aims to reach about four million women nationwide, contributing to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 5 on gender equality and SDG 16 on peace and social cohesion. Although the programme is about 18 months behind schedule, she confirmed that implementation has already commenced in 18 states.
Government Endorses Work Plan
Representing the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Olawale Edun, and the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Atiku Bagudu, the Permanent Secretary of Finance, Raymond Omachi, said the Federal Government’s endorsement of the project’s work plan demonstrates its commitment to inclusive development.
“Through this programme, we are expanding the reach, deepening the impact, and ensuring that no woman is left behind in our development agenda,” Omachi said. “Today’s event is significant not only because we are inaugurating the Federal Steering Committee, but also because we are formally endorsing the Terms of Reference and the work plan that will guide our collective effort in the months ahead.”
State Participation and Implementation
The National Coordinator of the Nigeria for Women Project, Dr Hadiza Maina, outlined key participation criteria for states to qualify for inclusion. These include the passage of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act or its equivalent (15%), establishment of Sexual Assault Referral Centres (15%), and formal recognition of Women Savings Groups (10%).
“For a state to be onboarded to the Nigeria for Women Project, it needs to score a minimum of 75%,” Dr Maina explained. “All states would be required to meet any outstanding commitment before disbursement of IDA resources to the State.”
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In her welcome remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Dr Mariam Ismaila Keshinro, described the inauguration as a “milestone in Nigeria’s collective resolve to enhance women’s economic empowerment and social inclusion.”
About the Nigeria for Women Programme
Launched in 2018 and supported by the World Bank, the Nigeria for Women Programme was created to address structural barriers that limit women’s productivity and economic participation. It has since empowered thousands of women with access to finance, entrepreneurship training, and the establishment of Women Affinity Groups (WAGs), which serve as community-based platforms for empowerment and collective growth.
With the Scale-Up Project, the initiative will now cover all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, building on lessons from its pilot phase to promote gender equality, strengthen social protection systems, and ensure that no woman is left behind in Nigeria’s development drive.
The newly inaugurated Federal Steering Committee will coordinate ministries, departments, and agencies to ensure effective implementation and measurable impact nationwide.
