The Honourable Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, fsi, has reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to advancing women’s economic empowerment through agriculture, as she announced plans to officially launch the Women’s Agro Value Expansion (WAVE) Programme in the coming weeks.
Speaking at the Renewed Hope – Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (RH-GEEP) Roundtable Meeting in Abuja, the Minister commended the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA), the GEEP team, and other stakeholders for their dedication to inclusion and empowerment.
She emphasized that women’s empowerment remains central to nation-building, stating:
“When we empower a woman, we empower her entire family, her community, and, in turn, our nation. Women are the first investors in the health, nutrition, and education of their children, creating ripple effects that lift every household they touch.”
The Minister highlighted that women account for nearly 70% of Nigeria’s agricultural workforce, yet remain largely excluded from value addition, markets, and decision-making. She stressed that this imbalance must be addressed.
To bridge the gap, she explained that under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs developed the WAVE Programme—a bold initiative aimed at transitioning women from farmgate operators to full-scale agri-preneurs and value creators.
The programme integrates access to finance, skills development, agribusiness support, market linkages, mechanization, and storage facilities. Its goal is to reduce post-harvest losses, enhance productivity, and expand women’s participation in both local and international markets.
“The WAVE Programme has a dual objective: to build women’s capacities within agri-food systems so they can be prosperous, and to support Nigerian women to feed the nation,” the Minister said.
She further stressed the synergy between RH-GEEP’s financial inclusion strategy and the WAVE initiative, noting that finance must be matched with skills, value addition, and enterprise support for women to truly thrive.
Calling for stronger collaboration among stakeholders, the Minister declared:
“Women’s issues cannot be relegated to charitable causes. They need access, opportunity, and genuine partnership. Together, we can move millions of women from subsistence to prosperity and meaningfully contribute to the ₦1 trillion economy envisioned by Mr. President under the Renewed Hope Agenda.”
She concluded with a call to action, urging all partners to remain steadfast in building a future where women are central to economic growth and national development.
ADEOLA KUNLE
