The Honourable Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, FSI, delivered a compelling keynote address during the 2025 International Widows Day commemoration, held in Abuja in partnership with Helpline Social Support Initiative and other stakeholders. In her remarks, the Minister described the day as not merely ceremonial but a national call to justice, compassion, and action for the millions of Nigerian widows whose dignity must be restored.
Highlighting the resilience of widows, she described them as symbols of strength who continue to raise families and contribute meaningfully to society despite facing deep personal loss. She emphasized that empowering widows and restoring their dignity is not optional but a national responsibility.
This year’s theme, "Empowering Widows: Building Resilience and Restoring Dignity," underscores the urgent need to address the persistent injustices widows face, including property dispossession, harmful traditional practices, economic marginalization, and social exclusion. The Minister condemned these systemic challenges and called for collective action.
Referencing data from the National Bureau of Statistics, she noted that millions of widows, despite being integral to the informal economy and caregivers in society, remain excluded from national planning. However, under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's Renewed Hope Agenda, this trend is being reversed. The Ministry, she affirmed, is committed to transforming widowhood into a platform for empowerment and resilience.
The Minister reaffirmed the Ministry’s comprehensive mandate, which includes promoting women's rights, protecting children, supporting vulnerable populations, and strengthening family systems. Through active policy engagement and grassroots initiatives, the Ministry is advancing a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach to inclusion and protection.
She emphasized that the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act (VAPP Act) criminalizes abuses often inflicted on widows and warned that no tradition or custom should override a woman's dignity. Violators, she said, must face the full weight of the law.
The Minister announced several impactful programmes under the Renewed Hope Social Impact framework. These include:
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The Clean Cooking for Rural Women Initiative, promoting health and economic productivity through energy-efficient stoves.
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The WAVE Project (Women, Agriculture, Value-Chain & Empowerment), which supports widows and female farmers with land access, equipment, and markets.
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Expansion of financial inclusion through bank partnerships offering digital banking and training.
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Free one-year health coverage through the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
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Enrolment into the National Identity Scheme, enabling access to social services.
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Integration onto the Happy Woman App, a digital platform for welfare and empowerment.
As part of the day’s engagement, 250 widows in attendance received ₦20,000 each to support or grow their businesses. All were also enrolled into NHIS, the National Identity Scheme, had bank accounts opened via Premium Trust Bank, and were integrated into the Happy Woman App.
These, she clarified, are not charity gestures but strategic investments aimed at giving widows access, agency, and autonomy to lift their families and communities.
She urged widows to embrace adult literacy and learning opportunities available nationwide, emphasizing that no Nigerian should be denied the dignity of education. She also spoke on the vital role widows play in preserving family cohesion, which is foundational to societal stability and national development.
The Minister called on:
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State governments to implement the VAPP Act and similar protective laws,
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Traditional and religious leaders to end harmful practices and champion dignity,
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The private sector to invest in financial and health solutions tailored to widows,
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All Nigerians to support and respect widows in their communities.
To Nigerian widows, the Minister offered words of solidarity and hope, declaring, “You are seen. You are valued. You are not alone. In your dignity lies the rebirth of our nation.”
She concluded by assuring widows that the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs stands with them—not just on International Widows Day, but every day—through policies, programmes, and partnerships designed to protect and empower them.
ADEOLA KUNLE
