Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun says about 100,000 women have benefited from the World Bank-supported Nigeria for Women Program as the state expands grassroots economic empowerment initiatives.
Abiodun disclosed the figure while receiving United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed in Abeokuta, where both officials interacted with beneficiaries.
The governor said Ogun took ownership of the program because many women at community level were unlikely to benefit from conventional political appointments or formal empowerment structures.
He argued that women’s empowerment should be measured by access to resources, skills, business opportunities and sustainable livelihoods rather than political representation alone.
According to Abiodun, economically stronger women are better positioned to support families and contribute to community development.
He said more than 25 states had sent delegations to study Ogun’s implementation model.
Mohammed praised the state for providing seed funding and said the progress of beneficiaries demonstrated what could happen when women received sustained support.
She said the Ogun experience could offer lessons for similar initiatives elsewhere in Nigeria.
State Coordinator Bola Fadairo said Ogun was among the first six pilot states when the program began in 2020.
She said 8,759 Women Affinity Groups comprising 247,273 women had been established across all 20 local government areas.
Beneficiaries have received training in financial management, record-keeping, gender awareness, life skills and other areas intended to improve business sustainability.
The program is being presented by the state as both a poverty-reduction intervention and a strategy for strengthening household incomes through women-led economic activity.
