The Federal Ministry of Women Affairs has inaugurated the Federal Technical Committee (FTC) for the Nigeria for Women Program Scale-Up (NFWP–SU), marking a significant step in the nation’s efforts to enhance women’s economic empowerment and deepen social inclusion across Nigeria.
In her speech at the inauguration ceremony held at the Rockview Hotel Abuja, the Permanent Secretary, Dr Mariam Ismaila Keshinro said, the Nigeria for Women Program has evolved into our country’s most significant platform for empowering women, noting that It recorded remarkable successes in its first phase, reaching over 460,000 women through 22,000 Women Affinity Groups and fostering over ₦4.4 billion in savings.
“We are not just starting a meeting; we are activating national machinery for change.” – Dr. Mariam Ismaila Keshinro said.
The NFWP-SU, approved in June 2024 with support from the World Bank, aims to expand these milestones to more states, embedding social protection, financial inclusion, and climate-responsive development into its framework. The initiative aligns seamlessly with the Nigeria WEE Policy and the World Bank’s Global Crisis Response Framework.
The permanent Secretary stated that the project is not just a scale-up program, but a transformative national system that will create lasting economic institutions deeply connected to the formal finance and market ecosystems,
The newly constituted Federal Technical Committee comprises experts from across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) and will be responsible for guiding policy alignment, inter-sectoral collaboration as well as monitoring and evaluation for effective implementation.
“The success of this endeavour hinges on the expertise housed within your various ministries. Together, we can build on the gains achieved and scale up sustainable models that will transform the lives of millions of Nigerian women,” she urged.
She further acknowledged the contributions of the Ministries of Agriculture, Finance, Environment, Communications, Health, and Water Resources in providing the specialized input required to drive the scale-up.
“Your mandate is challenging, requiring precision, coordination, and unwavering focus. Every policy brief and technical document ultimately translates into a Nigerian woman securing her future and strengthening her community. That is the human impact that motivates us.”, she concluded.
Co – Task Team Head of NFWP-SU at the World Bank, Dr. Yetunde Fatogun highlighted the uniqueness of the project as the largest stand-alone Women Economic Empowerment initiative in Africa:
“Empower women empower the world.”, she said.
She commended the resolve of the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and the participating state governments in transforming the lives of Nigerian women through meaningful reforms.
The Director of Economic Services at the Ministry, Mrs. Blessing Anunuike also described the inauguration as a “milestone in our collective resolve to enhance women’s economic empowerment and social inclusion across Nigeria.”
In a vote of thanks, Dr. Hadiza Maina, National Project Coordinator for NFWP-SU, emphasized the vital role of the committee in helping to eradicate poverty through effective policy measures.
“I advise that everyone should make themselves available to ensure that there is total eradication of poverty in our society.”
About NFWP-SU
The Nigeria for Women Program Scale-Up (NFWP-SU) is an initiative designed to build on the achievements of the 2018–2024 foundational phase of the Nigeria for Women Project. With expanded coverage across additional states, the program integrates financial inclusion, livelihood support, social protection, and climate resilience to reduce poverty and empower Nigerian women..
Signed
Ahmed Lawan Danbazau
Head, Press and Public Relations Department
