The Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI), led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has provided a N50 million grant to 1,000 petty traders in Kwara State to support their businesses.
Each trader will receive N50,000 to recapitalize their ventures, according to the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu.
Senator Tinubu announced this on Tuesday in Ilorin during a three-day working visit to the state, where she also commissioned several projects executed by Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq’s administration.
At the commissioning of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) Community ICT Centre in Ilorin, named after former Minister Amina Ndalolo, Senator Tinubu highlighted previous efforts under the RHI programme.
She noted that 1,000 women petty traders had been empowered on August 22, 2024, and 250 elderly citizens received N200,000 each during the yuletide season in December 2024.
The First Lady also revealed that the RHI agriculture programme disbursed N68.9 million to support women and young farmers in the state through the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.
In the education sector, Senator Tinubu announced plans to collaborate with the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) to construct an alternative high school for girls in Kwara State.
This initiative aims to provide educational opportunities for girls and women who dropped out of school due to early pregnancies, child marriages, or other socio-economic challenges.
Additionally, Kwara State has been selected to benefit from the construction of a model early childhood care development education centre in Ilorin.
During the event, Senator Tinubu commended NITDA’s Director-General, Mallam Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, and his team for their efforts in bridging the digital divide nationwide.
She also highlighted the establishment of digital economy centres fully equipped with computers and ICT materials in five states—Jigawa, Ebonyi, Cross River, Oyo, Niger—and the Federal Capital Territory.
The First Lady disclosed that ten additional digital economy centres are being set up in Abia, Edo, Delta, Ondo, Kano, Katsina, Lagos, Nasarawa, Yobe, and Zamfara, which will be ready for commissioning soon.
“The knowledge of ICT is a powerful tool for empowering communities, particularly women,” she stated. “It enables them to overcome traditional barriers, access educational opportunities, and actively participate in the global economy.
By equipping women and girls with ICT skills, we can enhance self-reliance, improve livelihoods, and support families.”
She added that the ICT centres align with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritizes economic diversification through industrialization and digitization.
The First Lady reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to expanding digital access, fostering innovation, and creating opportunities for economic growth across Nigeria.
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