By Johnbosco Agbakwuru

ABUJA — THE Federal Government on Thursday, launched the $540 million Nigeria for Women Programme Scale-Up, NFWP-SU, targeting at least five million women across the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja.

The $540 million, which is aimed at boosting economic empowerment, financial inclusion, and social development for women is co-financed by the World Bank, federal and state governments and built on the Phase onw’s success in six pilot states, where 26,577 Women Affinity Groups formed with over 560,000 members.

The Nigeria for Women Programme Scale-Up is headed by Dr Hadiza Maina.

Speaking at the launch at the presidential Villa ,Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, commended the initiative, describing itas a structural signal for Nigerian women, children, and families.

She said: “Today is a structural signal for Nigerian women, children, and families. It is a signal that under your leadership, women are no longer treated as beneficiaries at the margins of development, but as primary drivers of Nigeria’s economic, social, and democratic stability.”

The minister spotlighted governance gains, noting in Niger State, many women got voter cards for the first time to join.

“These newly registered women did not stop at programme participation; they became politically visible.”

According to her, “In just the six states in which Phase I was implemented, 26,577 Women Affinity Groups were formed with over 560,000 members.”

She added that participants recorded significant financial progress, noting that, “Through the Women Affinity Groups formed, they collectively saved over ₦4.9 billion of their own money and have inter-loaned significantly to expand their businesses, cover health costs, and pay school fees.”

The minister described the new phase as a major continental investment in women’s empowerment.

She said, “It is a 540-million-dollar programme, co-financed by the World Bank and the Federal and State Governments, designed to directly reach at least five million women across all 36 states and the FCT.”

She unveiled the Happy Woman App, a digital hub for finance, skills, training, protection, and markets, targeting 10 million verified users in 10 months.

President Bola Tinubu, represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, declared 2026 the “Year of Families and Social Development” and urged the World Bank, Gates Foundation, and partners for more support.

“No nation can achieve sustainable progress while sidelining half of its population,” he said, stressing women as “authors” of Nigeria’s development story.

Nigeria Governors’ Forum Chairman and Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, via Katsina Deputy Governor Faruk Lawal Jobe, called it a “deliberate national choice to place Nigerian women at the very centre of our economic renewal and social stability.”

He reaffirmed states’ commitment: “We will align policies, strengthen implementation, ensure timely counterpart funding, and embed accountability.”

World Bank’s Robert Chase praised it as a “flagship platform for delivering women’s economic empowerment at scale,” aiding shock management and resilience.

The Gates Foundation equally endorsed the scale-up, describing women-centred investments as among the smartest economic decisions Nigeria can make.

A representative of the foundation said empowering women produces multiplier effects that improve family health outcomes, keep children in school and build community resilience, aligning with global efforts to reduce preventable maternal and child deaths and lift millions out of poverty.

Stakeholders described the Nigeria for Women Programme as one of the largest initiatives of its kind on the African continent and a model capable of setting regional and global benchmarks for inclusive, women-driven economic transformation.