Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, has revealed that about 70 percent of Nigerian women are living in extreme poverty, stressing the urgent need for coordinated action to empower women economically and socially across the country.

She stated this during the inauguration of the Federal Steering Committee for the Nigeria for Women Program Scale-Up Project (NFWP-SU), on Friday in Abuja, where the Federal Government officially endorsed the program’s Terms of Reference and work plan to guide its nationwide implementation.

Sulaiman-Ibrahim said the new phase represents a full transformation of how social protection and women’s empowerment are delivered, noting that the government is integrating financial inclusion, livelihood support, and social protection into one national framework.

According to her, “It is now expanding to all 36 states and the FCT, integrating lessons from its initial phase and aligning with our broader Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Agenda. This scale-up brings financial inclusion, livelihood support, and social protection together under one national delivery platform.”

The minister decried the high rate of poverty among Nigerian women, saying that about 70 percent of women in Nigeria live in extreme poverty, particularly in rural communities where access to education, finance, and economic opportunities remains limited.

She added that the programme aims to change this narrative by creating a unified model that will strengthen women’s access to finance, increase household income, and make women key drivers of Nigeria’s economic growth.

She said, “This approach replaces fragmented interventions with a systemic model capable of reshaping local economies, reducing household vulnerability, and positioning women as the drivers of Nigeria’s inclusive growth, resilience, and long-term stability.

“It is deliberately inclusive; we aim to reach about 4 million women nationwide, advancing SDG 5 on gender equality and SDG 16 on peace and social cohesion. Though about 18 months behind schedule, the SU has taken off successfully in about 18 states fully,” she added.

Speaking on the endorsement of the work plan, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Olawale Edun, and the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Atiku Bagudu, represented by the Permanent Secretary of Finance, Raymond Omachi, said the initiative would deepen the programme’s reach and ensure accountability in its execution.

He said the program will ensure that no woman is left behind.

“Through this programme, we are expanding the program’s reach, deepening the impact, and ensuring that no woman is left behind in our development agenda. Today’s event is significant, not only because we are inaugurating the Federal Steering Committee, but because we are also formally endorsing the Terms of Reference and the work plan that will guide our collective effort in the months ahead,” Omachi said.

Also speaking, the National Coordinator of the Nigeria for Women Project, Dr. Hadiza Maina, outlined key requirements for state participation, including the passage of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act or equivalent (15%), establishment of Sexual Assault Referral Centres (15%), and laws recognising the formalisation of Women Savings Groups (10%).

She said, “For a state to be onboarded to the Nigeria for Women Project, it needs to score a minimum of 75%. All states would be required to meet any outstanding commitment prior to disbursement of IDA resources to the State.”

In her welcome address, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Dr. Mariam Ismaila Keshinro, described the inauguration as a milestone in Nigeria’s collective resolve to enhance women’s economic empowerment and social inclusion.

The Nigeria for Women Programme, a flagship initiative of the Federal Government supported by the World Bank, was designed to address barriers limiting women’s productivity and participation in economic life.

Since its launch in 2018, it has supported thousands of women through access to finance, entrepreneurship training, and the formation of Women Affinity Groups (WAGs), which have become key platforms for social and economic transformation.

With the Scale-Up phase, the programme will now extend its reach to all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, integrating lessons from the initial phase to promote gender equality, strengthen social protection, and ensure that no woman is left behind in the development agenda.

The Federal Steering Committee will coordinate ministries and agencies to ensure effective implementation and measurable results across Nigeria. (Vanguard)