ADO-EKITI — The First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has donated financial grants totaling ₦100 million to 2,000 women in Ekiti State as part of her nationwide economic empowerment drive.

The initiative, executed under the umbrella of the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI), aims to boost petty trading, enhance financial independence among women, and buffer the current economic climate at the grassroots level. Under the intervention package, each beneficiary received an unconditional cash grant of ₦50,000 to recapitalize their small businesses.

Grassroots Inclusion

Speaking at the flag-off ceremony held at the Lady Jibowu Hall, Government House in Ado-Ekiti, the First Lady, represented by the Wife of the Ekiti State Governor and RHI State Coordinator, Dr. Olayemi Oyebanji, emphasized that women are the foundational pillars of the local economy.

"When you empower a woman, you stabilize a household and build a community. This ₦100 million grant is not a loan, but a direct investment in the resilience of Ekiti women. Our goal through the Renewed Hope Initiative is to ensure that small business owners at the grassroots are given the necessary leverage to survive and thrive," she said.

The beneficiaries, carefully selected across the 16 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state, included market women, petty traders, artisanal workers, and vulnerable heads of households.

State Government Commendation

In her remarks, the Deputy Governor of Ekiti State, Chief (Mrs.) Monisade Afuye, commended the First Lady for her consistent focus on women and vulnerable groups nationwide. She noted that the financial injection aligns seamlessly with the state government's shared prosperity agenda, which places a high premium on human capital development and social inclusion.

Also present at the event were top government functionaries, including the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Habibat Adubiaro, and various women group leaders, who lauded the transparency of the selection process.

Joy Among Beneficiaries

The atmosphere at the venue was filled with celebration as the beneficiaries received their cash alerts and tokens.

Speaking on behalf of the traders, Mrs. Folasade Adebayo, a fruit vendor from Ikere-Ekiti, expressed immense gratitude to the First Lady, stating that the ₦50,000 grant would directly help her restock her depleted inventory.

The Renewed Hope Initiative has continued to roll out similar economic, agricultural, and educational interventions across the 36 states of the federation to cushion economic hardships and foster inclusive growth.