First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu said on Monday that no amount of criticism or misinformation will deter her commitment to supporting small-scale women entrepreneurs across Nigeria.
Tinubu made the remarks in Hadejia during the inauguration of the newly constructed Abubakar Maje Haruna Hall at the Emir of Hadejia’s palace. She dismissed recent social media reports that mischaracterised her economic empowerment programme, saying the initiative is intended to improve livelihoods at the grassroots and strengthen small businesses.
As part of the programme, the First Lady announced a N200 million support package for 2,000 women petty traders in Jigawa State. Each beneficiary will receive N50,000 to expand and sustain her business.
“I heard people talking about akara sellers. It is not only akara sellers. We are supporting tomato sellers, maize sellers, vegetable sellers and many other petty traders. Our goal is to help women grow their businesses and become financially independent,” she said.
Tinubu said empowering women remains a key strategy for reducing poverty, increasing household incomes and promoting economic growth at the grassroots. She added that Nigeria is richly blessed with human and natural resources and pledged that President Bola Tinubu’s administration will continue to implement programmes that improve the welfare of citizens, particularly women and vulnerable groups.
“Nigeria belongs to all its citizens,” she said, calling for collective efforts toward national development and prosperity.
In his remarks, the Emir of Hadejia, Alhaji Adamu Abubakar Maje, commended the First Lady for her dedication to improving the lives of ordinary Nigerians, especially women and low-income earners.
The empowerment programme is part of ongoing efforts by the Renewed Hope Initiative to promote financial inclusion, support micro-enterprises and enhance economic opportunities for women across the country.
