Zamfara Expands Grants, Skills Training for Women's Growth

The Zamfara State Government has strengthened its commitment to women’s economic empowerment through a series of initiatives aimed at improving financial independence, entrepreneurship, and vocational development for women across the state.

The Permanent Secretary of the Zamfara State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, Alhaji Garba Aliyu Gayari, revealed this at a two-day workshop organised by the World Bank in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, Abuja, for women empowerment in the economy.

In his address at the event, Alhaji Gayari said the government of Governor Dauda Lawal considers empowerment of women as a key factor in the economic growth and sustainable development of the state. Women empowerment is not about charity but “a strategic investment in the country's development.”

He said the Zamfara State Government had recently organised training of 120 women in social media marketing and digital tools to enhance their engagement in the digital economy. At the end of the programme, every participant was handed over an Android device and N100,000 grant to assist their businesses.

Key Highlights

• 120 women trained in digital marketing and online business tools
• Business grants supported poultry farming, tailoring and petty trading ventures
• Vulnerable women received marriage support and startup business assistance
   

Alhaji Gayari further highlighted a few empowerment programmes, which were rolled out via the Office of the First Lady of Zamfara State, Hajiya Huriyya Dauda Lawal. In his explanation, the initiatives have reached thousands of women with business grants and cash transfers, between N50,000 to N150,000, so they can keep running small scale enterprises like poultry production, tailoring work, and petty trading, basically everyday things that bring income. 

He also said that some cooperative efforts involving Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, and the Zamfara State First Lady have really improved women economic involvement across the state, not just in one location. 

Furthermore, Alhaji Gayari disclosed that hundreds of vulnerable women, this includes orphans and underprivileged people, have benefited from marriage support programmes arranged in collaboration with the Zakat and Endowment Board. According to him, the arrangement covers dowries of up to N200,000, and it also provides household needs such as furniture and kitchen utensils. Each bride additionally receives N50,000 as startup capital for small businesses.

About the ministry’s ongoing efforts, Alhaji Gayari mentioned that with Dr Aisha Anka leading the way, women too have been given training in reproductive health as well as vocational skills, through different collaborations. In those programmes, the participants were backed just the same with startup capital totaling N45,000 each, so they could begin properly.

He also assured that the Zamfara State Government will keep widening these initiatives, to generate further economic openings for many thousands of women across the state, without stopping.