A group of Northern Nigerian women under the aegis of the Tinubu Northern Women Support Group has unveiled a plan to empower 100,000 petty traders across the region as part of efforts to promote economic inclusion.
The initiative was announced in a statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday and signed by the National Coordinator of the group, Hon. Aisha Aliyu Obalim.
According to Obalim, the programme is designed to support women engaged in petty trade across the three geopolitical zones of Northern Nigeria — the North-East, North-West and North-Central.
She said the initiative aligns with the administration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu and its Renewed Hope Agenda aimed at strengthening the nation’s economy.
“Our quest is to join forces with the government of Nigeria to translate the Renewed Hope Agenda into tangible grassroots impact among women living and engaged in petty trade in the three geopolitical zones of the North,” she said.
Obalim explained that the programme would provide financial grants to selected beneficiaries to boost their small businesses.
She said, “Empowering women in the Northern region is an investment in the economic backbone of the region. The selected 100,000 beneficiaries will receive financial grants to boost their petty trade significantly.”
The coordinator stressed that the intervention would not be a loan scheme but a grant designed to expand women-owned businesses.
“Make no mistake. It is not a loan but a grant — a practical enabler for us to grow together. This financial support is aimed at helping the women boost their businesses and earnings,” she stated.
She added that the funding would be used strictly to strengthen existing petty trade enterprises by expanding inventory and market reach.
“This funding is specifically structured to serve as a boost to their working capital, designed to be ploughed directly into their existing petty trade enterprise to grow inventory, expand market reach and improve livelihoods,” Obalim said.
The programme will operate through a cluster-based monitoring framework to ensure accountability and effectiveness.
According to her, beneficiaries will be grouped into clusters of 50 women, each supervised by a designated leader known as a Cluster Lead.
“This leadership structure is designed to ensure close supervision and monitor the commercial success of the petty trade. The framework aims to guarantee accountability and track the tangible impact of the funds on the traders’ livelihoods,” she explained.
Obalim also described the initiative as a strategic intervention aimed at driving sustainable economic growth for women in the region.
“This initiative is about sustainability and growth. The grant will serve as a tool to unlock the potential of these hardworking women, enabling them to scale their petty trading into significant commercial ventures,” she added.
She further noted that the programme would focus on supporting women with viable business ideas and those already engaged in petty trading.
“Our selection criteria will focus on the gaps identified and the viability of enterprises. Supporting 100,000 petty traders will have a significant impact and we believe it will strengthen the regional economy,” she said.
The group said it would closely monitor the implementation of the programme to ensure it delivers lasting economic benefits for families and communities across Northern Nigeria.
