As part of its efforts to empower women economically, the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) in conjunction with the Tony Elumelu Foundation has today 3rd October, 2025, launched the Women Economic Empowerment Programme in Imo State and other states of the country and including the FCT.
Flagging-off the programme at the Banquet Hall, Government House Owerri, the First Lady of Nigeria, Oluremi Tinubu, in her address which was read by the wife of the Imo State Governor, Chioma Uzodinma, disclosed that the economic empowerment programme is about supporting the entrepreneural spirit of women traders and small scale business owners who each day determined to provide for their families, educate their children as well as uplift their communities.
She applauded the Tony Elumelu Foundation for donating the sum of N1 Billion to the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) to support 18,500 women across the nation, with 500 women from each of the 36 states and FCT will receive N50,000 to scale up their businesses.
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She prayed that the act of generosity will inspire many across the nation to sustain their efforts.
The First Lady further disclosed that the Governor of Imo State in his magnanimity increased the Tony Elumelu kind gesture by adding another N50,000 each making it N100,000 to be given to the pre-selected beneficiaries from the 27 Local Government Areas of Imo State.
The President’s wife emphasized that the empowerment is not a loan, but a grant; a seed of Renewed Hope Initiative to help them re-capitalize their existing businesses. And, “it is my belief that when you empower a woman, you empower a household, a community and indeed a nation”, she said .
She expressed gratitude to Governor Hope Uzodinma and his wife Chioma for all their support in executing all the programmes of the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI).
