By Henry Obetta
As job losses, rising costs, and limited access to capital push women into survival-level enterprises, NEWOMCII’s targeted grassroots interventions are emerging as a critical bridge between hardship and sustainable economic growth.
When Hauwa Suleiman lost her job at a commercial bank in Abuja, it came as part of a broader wave of workforce reductions triggered by economic pressure and institutional restructuring. For over a decade, she had worked within the stability of the banking sector, earning a steady income and maintaining a structured life. But the decision that ended her employment also marked the beginning of a far more uncertain chapter, one defined by survival rather than stability.

Speaking during an interview in Karu, Hauwa described the moment as both abrupt and disorienting, particularly as she had already been dealing with the loss of her husband. “It was not something I saw coming like that,” she said. “You are working, you are planning your life, then suddenly everything changes. And because I am alone, I had to quickly think of what to do next.”

Before losing her job, Hauwa had operated a small business on the side, something she managed alongside her formal employment. However, that business was never structured to serve as her primary source of income. With limited capital, minimal inventory, and no external support, scaling it up to meet her daily needs proved difficult.

“The business was just something I was doing to support myself small,” she explained. “It was not something that could carry all the responsibilities I have now. But when the job stopped, I had no choice but to depend on it.”

Operating under these conditions, Hauwa faces constant financial pressure. She is unable to buy goods in bulk due to limited capital, which restricts her profit margins. Fluctuations in customer demand further complicate the situation, while the absence of structured support systems means that growth remains slow and uncertain.

“There are days you sell, and there are days you don’t,” she said. “But whether you sell or not, you still have to feed, you still have to take care of things. So you just keep pushing.”

Her experience reflects a growing reality for many women across Nigeria who are being pushed out of formal employment into informal businesses that lack the capacity for immediate sustainability. While these women demonstrate resilience, the structural limitations they face often prevent their efforts from translating into meaningful economic progress.

In another part of the Federal Capital Territory, Patience Ibrahim is confronting a different version of the same challenge, one rooted not in job loss but in limited access to capital. As a banana trader in Nyanya, her business depends heavily on her ability to purchase goods in sufficient quantity. However, without adequate funds, she is forced to operate on a small scale, a constraint that significantly affects her earnings.

“I go very far to buy my banana,” she said during an interview at her roadside stall. “But I don’t have enough money to buy plenty. I just buy small, small, and come and sell.”

The implications of this limitation are immediate and far-reaching. Buying in small quantities increases her cost per unit, reduces her bargaining power, and limits the volume she can sell in a day. By the time transportation costs are deducted, her profit margin is significantly reduced.

“If I can buy in large quantity, I will gain more,” she explained. “But now, everything is small. The buying is small, the selling is small, and the profit is small.”

Patience’s situation illustrates a common economic trap within the informal sector, where low capital leads to low output, and low output prevents the accumulation of capital needed for expansion. Despite consistent effort and demand for her goods, her business remains constrained by structural limitations beyond her control.

Across communities, similar patterns are evident. Women are actively engaged in various economic activities, including farming, food processing, weaving, petty trading, and small-scale manufacturing. However, their ability to scale these activities is often hindered by limited access to finance, inadequate tools, poor infrastructure, and the absence of targeted support systems.

While government interventions exist, their impact at the grassroots level remains uneven, with many women unable to access or benefit from available programmes. As a result, a significant gap persists between policy level initiatives and the lived realities of those operating within the informal economy.

It is within this context that the New Dawn for Women and Community Intervention Initiative, NEWOMCII, is positioning itself as a response to these challenges. The organisation is focused on bridging the gap between effort and opportunity by providing targeted, practical interventions that address the specific constraints faced by women at the grassroots.

According to the National Coordinator, Hajiya Sa’adatu Adamu Bokane, the organisation’s work is guided by the need to create sustainable impact rather than temporary relief. “We realised that many women are working very hard, but the structure is not there to support them,” she said. “Our goal is to provide the kind of support that will help them grow what they are already doing.”

In the agricultural sector, NEWOMCII is addressing labour-intensive processing through the provision of equipment such as corn shellers and rice threshers to women cooperatives. In Kuchiko, Bwari Area Council, this intervention has significantly improved efficiency, enabling women to process larger quantities of produce within shorter periods and increase their income.

Similarly, in Karu, the organisation is supporting women in the creative sector through the provision of iron looms and improved workspace facilities. These interventions have enhanced production quality, reduced waste, and created a more conducive environment for business growth.

Beyond economic support, NEWOMCII is also addressing health and social welfare through its medical outreach programmes. In Kuje, the organisation provided free healthcare services, including consultations and treatment, alongside the distribution of hygiene materials and essential items for nursing mothers.

These efforts reflect a broader understanding of empowerment, one that recognises the link between health, productivity, and economic stability. By addressing these interconnected challenges, the organisation is working to create a more holistic support system for women.

In addition, NEWOMCII has extended its interventions into public safety through support for traffic management in the Federal Capital Territory, providing equipment to improve road safety and operational efficiency.

Through partnerships with institutions such as the Nigeria Police Force, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, and private sector organisations, the organisation is expanding its reach and strengthening its capacity to deliver impact.

For women like Hauwa Suleiman and Patience Ibrahim, such interventions represent an opportunity to move beyond the limitations that currently define their businesses. Their stories highlight not only the challenges faced by women in the informal sector but also the potential for transformation when the right support systems are in place.

As economic pressures continue to shape livelihoods across the country, the role of grassroots-focused initiatives is becoming increasingly important. By targeting the specific needs of women and addressing the structural barriers they face, NEWOMCII is contributing to a growing effort to build a more inclusive and resilient economy.

For now, women across communities continue to work, adapt, and endure, sustaining not only their households but also a significant portion of Nigeria’s informal economy.

What remains critical is ensuring that their efforts are matched with the support needed to turn survival into sustainability and potential into progress.