The Ebonyi government and partners – Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI), and the Tony Elumelu Foundation Women Economic Empowerment Programme have empowered about 1,000 women with N50 million and 25kg bags of rice.

The Wife of the President, Sen Oluremi Tinubu, on Thursday stated that the empowerment programme were to affirm their commitment to the economic liberation of Nigerian women.

Mrs Tinubu, represented by Mrs Mary-Maudline Nwifuru, the State Coordinator of the initiative and wife of the state governor, made this known, during the Provision of Small Business Grants to 1,000 women across the state.

In addition, the state government empowered an additional 500 women, bringing the total number of beneficiaries to 1,000 in Ebonyi as part of support for RHI.

The First Lady disclosed that RHI had consistently emphasised that the economic empowerment of women is at the heart of developing strong, inclusive and more resilient country.

She said, “partnering with the Tony Elumelu foundation, a renowned champion of African entrepreneurship, strengthens this vision by ensuring that our women, the bedrock of society, are given the resources, opportunities and encouragement to flourish.

“We know the challenges market leaders, farmers, artisans, professionals and entrepreneurs among other women faces daily.

“But with the right support, they can build enterprises that will sustain families and transform entire communities.

“The programme provides small business recapitalisation grants to 500 women across the 36 tates of the Federation and the Federal capital territory,”.

On her side, Mrs Nwifuru expressed commitment of the state government to continue to prioritise policies and programmes that place women at the center of development.

She expressed appreciation to the Tony Elumelu partnership and maintained that true change is built through collaboration, shared vision, recognition that empower women and humanity.

“We are grateful for RHI generosity towards our women and this initiative aligns perfectly with the state shared agenda of building stronger families, reduce poverty and achieving inclusive growth across our communities,” Nwifuru stated.

She urged beneficiaries to embrace the opportunity with discipline, creativity and commitment that would expand businesses and create jobs.

In their goodwill messages, Peace Odoh, Wife of the state Attorney General, Lilian Ngene, wife of state Chief Judge, and Jessica Uburu commended the partners for their good deeds which spoke volume.

Mrs Emelida Nwoke, Felicia Egwu, Chinyere Nworie, on behalf of Beneficiaries, thanked Mrs Tinubu for her continuous intervention and upliftment of women in the country.

The event featured distribution of empowerment grants and rice to the 1,000 beneficiaries by Mrs Tinubu

The Tony Elumelu’s Foundation has signed a landmark $6 million agreement with the UAE’s Office of Development Affairs and the Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation to empower 1,000 young African entrepreneurs.

The partnership aims to provide essential resources, including business training, mentorship, and non-refundable seed capital of $5,000.

“Empowering entrepreneurs is not just a moral imperative, but also a strategic investment in Africa’s future.

“By providing the necessary access to capital, mentorship, and resources, we are unlocking the potential of Africa’s entrepreneurial talent, eradicating poverty, driving self-reliance, and paving the way for inclusive growth and prosperity on the continent,” Tony Elumelu, founder of the Tony Elumelu Foundation said.

The partnership will leverage the Tony Elumelu Foundation’s expertise in catalysing entrepreneurship through the Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Programme.

His Excellency Mohamed Haji Al Khoori, Director General of the Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation, said:”This partnership aligns with our goal of strengthening economies and creating sustainable businesses that uplift communities”.

Since its inception in 2015, the Tony Elumelu Foundation has made significant strides in its mission to support young African entrepreneurs.

The foundation has provided access to training and resources via its digital hub, TEFConnect, reaching over 2.5 million young Africans.

Additionally, TEF has disbursed more than $100 million in funding to over 21,000 entrepreneurs across the continent, creating over 1.5 million direct and indirect jobs.