The Honourable Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, FSI, has reaffirmed the commitment of the Federal Government to building the economic power of Nigerian women, expanding social protection and strengthening family systems, declaring that the nation has entered an era of limitless possibilities for women.
The Minister made the declaration while receiving the National President of the Police Officers’ Wives Association (POWA), Chief Mrs. Olufunmilola Mutiat Disu, and her delegation on a courtesy visit to the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development in Abuja.
She described the Ministry as an inclusive institution that must accommodate and empower every woman, irrespective of background, status or stage of life, stressing that no woman should be excluded from the opportunities and interventions being implemented under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR.
“Women O’clock means that we are coming together to address our challenges. It is an era of possibilities where women can dream big dreams and achieve them,” the Minister said.
“Women O’clock means that women will chart their own paths to prosperity because we are putting in place the instruments, infrastructure, guidelines and frameworks required to support them at every level.”
The Minister commended the leadership of POWA for its visible and impactful interventions through the POWA CARES Initiative, particularly in the areas of education, healthcare, economic empowerment and welfare support for police families.
She noted that the Association’s commitment to supporting the families of police officers would enable personnel to serve the nation with greater focus, dignity and peace of mind.
“The work POWA is doing is visible and commendable. You are making a remarkable impact across the country through the POWA CARES architecture, ensuring that police families are protected, supported and empowered,” she stated.
The Minister called for the institutionalisation and strengthening of collaboration between the Ministry and POWA, adding that the partnership must produce measurable outcomes for women, children and families within police communities and across Nigeria.
“Our partnership must yield meaningful results for the people we serve. POWA women are not in isolation; we must work together, move from community to community and mainstream our programmes at both national and state levels,”.
Highlighting the Ministry’s economic empowerment drive, the Minister reiterated President Tinubu’s commitment to placing more resources and opportunities in the hands of Nigerian women even as She recalled the charge of the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, CON, to prioritise women’s economic empowerment.
“The message was clear: go and put money in women’s hands. When women have economic power, children are more likely to remain in school, families are better nourished, and communities become more stable and prosperous,” the Minister said.
According to her, women’s economic empowerment is central to strengthening families, reducing vulnerability and expanding women’s l participation in national development.
The Minister highlighted key programmes being implemented by the Ministry to include the Nigeria for Women Programme Scale-Up, which is expanding women’s access to savings, enterprise development, financial services and economic opportunities across the country.
She explained that the programme’s pilot phase organised over 540,000 women into approximately 23,000 self-help groups, enabling them to build collective savings and strengthen their capacity to access financial and other support services.
Hajiya Sulaiman-Ibrahim also outlined the Ministry’s Renewed Hope Social Impact Intervention (RH-SII-774) as a major delivery platform designed to support women, children, families and vulnerable populations through integrated interventions across the country.
She noted that the initiative covers key sectors including agriculture, energy, the creative economy, digital technology, micro, small and medium enterprises, as well as other areas of women’s economic participation.
The Minister further disclosed that the Ministry is working with relevant financial institutions and strategic partners to reduce barriers to finance and expand women’s access to credit, particularly through innovative guarantee mechanisms that address the challenge of collateral.
“Women are capable of taking advantage of available financial opportunities. We must find them, encourage them, strengthen their businesses and provide the right frameworks that enable them to grow and prosper,” she said.
On women’s protection, the Minister reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to strengthening legal and institutional frameworks for preventing and responding to sexual and gender-based violence, while promoting a survivor-centred approach to supporting survivors.
She also underscored the importance of strengthening family systems, responsible parenting, community participation and alternative care structures, noting that sustainable social development begins within the family.
“We must not neglect our responsibilities as parents and community leaders. The family is where values are formed, where protection begins and where the foundation for a stable society is built,” she stated.
The Minister further highlighted the growing participation of women in Nigeria’s security, intelligence, peacebuilding and leadership architecture, describing the progress as a significant achievement for gender inclusion and national development.
She called for greater inclusion of children from police families in national child-focused platforms, including the Children’s Parliament, to ensure that such structures reflect the diversity and aspirations of Nigerian children.
Earlier, the National President of POWA, Chief Mrs. Olufunmilola Mutiat Disu, commended the Honourable Minister for her commitment to advancing the welfare, empowerment and protection of Nigerian women and families.
She explained that POWA’s flagship intervention, POWA CARES — Caring for Police Families, provides sustainable support in education, healthcare, economic empowerment and welfare to police families across the country.
“When police families are supported, our officers are better positioned to serve the nation with dedication and peace of mind,” Chief Mrs. Disu said.
She disclosed that POWA has provided scholarships to children of police officers at primary and secondary school levels and has supported nursing education through scholarships for student nurses from police families.
The POWA President also announced that, through a partnership with the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), the Association secured a US$200,000 Master’s Scholarship Programme for five children of police officers, creating opportunities for advanced education and leadership development.
She added that POWA has conducted large-scale medical outreaches in Abuja and Lagos, providing free medical consultations, eye screenings, prescription glasses and other essential health services to thousands of police families.
Chief Mrs. Disu said the Association intends to expand the interventions to all 36 states of the Federation, ensuring that police officers’ wives and families across Nigeria are supported and empowered.
“The objectives of the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and those of POWA intersect in many meaningful ways. By aligning the Ministry’s programmes with the POWA CARES Initiative, we can significantly expand our reach and impact, touching more women, children and families across Nigeria,” she stated.
Signed
Ahmed Lawan Danbazau Mnipr
Head, Information Press and Public Relations Dept. (FMWASD)
