The Enduring Promise of Nigerian Women
By
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR
Being the speech of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, President and Commander-in-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, at the Presidential Launch of the Nigeria for Women Programme Scale-Up (NFWP-SU), in Abuja, on Friday, February 6, 2026.
A nation that relegates its women is a nation bound for implosion. We have long understood this truth. That is why this administration has not only placed women at the forefront of decision-making but has also entrusted them with leadership in causes that redeem our national promise. Today stands as proof of that commitment, and I am proud to be part of this journey.
From the outset, this administration has been guided by a simple conviction: no nation can rise on the strength of half its population alone. Sustainable growth is impossible where women remain constrained, unseen, or unsupported. We have made it clear that women are not an afterthought in our development story. They are its authors. They are the backbone of family stability, the engine of community resilience, and indispensable partners in our collective ambition to build a competitive and inclusive nation.
The Nigeria for Women Programme, alongside complementary policies and digital platforms rolled out by the Federal Ministry of Women’s Affairs and Social Development, reflects our resolve to entrench inclusion as a permanent feature of governance. We are choosing systems over sentiments, institutions over intentions, and impact over rhetoric. It is therefore encouraging that this programme has already recorded measurable results. In just six states under Phase One, over one million beneficiaries were reached.
Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, our ambition to build a one-trillion-dollar economy rests firmly on the productivity of Nigerian women. Across agriculture, trade, manufacturing, technology, health, education, the creative economy, and the informal sector, women sustain markets, grow enterprises, feed families, and anchor communities. They are the quiet architects of our non-oil economy. It is therefore our collective responsibility to unlock their full potential.
The Scale-Up we launch today represents a strategic investment in our economic infrastructure. To deliver on this vision, we have set a bold but achievable national ambition: to reach 25 million Nigerian women through this programme. This expansion is about building a national platform for women’s economic inclusion that is scalable, sustainable, and embedded within state and local systems. We therefore call on our development partners, particularly the World Bank, to support this expansion through financing, technical assistance, innovation, and knowledge partnerships.
I am especially encouraged by the Ministry’s integration of technology and policy to deepen inclusion. The introduction of the Happy Woman App Platform reflects a forward-looking approach to governance. It provides a secure, verifiable, and scalable digital interface that connects women to finance, skills, markets, essential services, and government support. In today’s Nigeria, digital inclusion is no longer optional; it is foundational to effective service delivery and national competitiveness.
I also commend the Ministry for fully activating its mandate. Since the launch of the Renewed Hope Social Impact Intervention for women, children, and vulnerable persons in Lafia last year, the Ministry has reorganised social development into a more coherent and coordinated system anchored on policy reform, institutional alignment, and evidence-based planning. This is what purposeful leadership can achieve.
Our commitment to women and families also shapes our international engagements. During our official visit to Türkiye in January, we oversaw the signing of a strategic Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen family cohesion and social welfare systems. This decision was deliberate. Strong families are a national security and development asset. Societies that invest in family stability reduce vulnerability and long-term instability. In this spirit, I hereby direct that the year 2026 be designated as the Year of Social Development and Families in Nigeria, with coordinated action across all arms and levels of government.
I extend Nigeria’s appreciation to the World Bank for its partnership and co-financing support. I also acknowledge the Honourable Minister of Finance, the Honourable Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, our implementation institutions, State Governors, and the Nigeria Governors’ Forum for aligning federal vision with state-level execution. National transformation succeeds when all levels of government move with shared purpose.
There is no doubt that we will continue to invest in women-led enterprises and ensure that they are not placed at any disadvantage. I want every Nigerian woman to understand this clearly: this government sees you, values your contribution, and is investing in your success—not as charity, but as strategy; not as symbolism, but as substance.
With this firm resolve, I hereby formally launch the Nigeria for Women Programme Scale-Up and declare the year 2026 as the Year of Families and Social Development.
Thank you, and may God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.