EmpowerHer Project Transforms Lives of 1,200 Women in Nasarawa State
A significant number of women from 12 distinct communities across six local government areas in Nasarawa State have received transformative training through the EmpowerHer Project. This initiative, spearheaded by the Nasarawa State Human Capital Development Agency, focuses on equipping women with essential financial and digital skills to enhance their economic participation and sustainability.
The Director General of the Nasarawa State Human Capital Development Agency, Habiba Suleiman, highlighted the project’s goals during a recent financial literacy and economic inclusion outreach event held at the Emir’s Palace in Lafia and the Awuma community. She emphasized that the training is designed to help women digitize their businesses, enabling them to operate around the clock. Many women face challenges in maximizing their profits due to a lack of necessary skills, and this project aims to address those gaps effectively.
Suleiman explained that the agency is working towards forming cooperatives among these women to register them with the Corporate Affairs Commission. This step is crucial for facilitating access to financial interventions from both the government and other recognized institutions. The project includes 100 women from each of the 12 communities, totaling 1,200 participants. These women are being prepared for various opportunities, such as accessing federal government grants, which many currently miss out on due to the absence of bank accounts.
The outreach event focused on empowering women from six local government areas: Lafia, Awe, Wamba, Akwanga, Keffi, and Karu. Suleiman noted that the initiative is not only about providing education but also offering practical support. For instance, the agency is assisting women in opening bank accounts and enrolling them in the Nasarawa State Health Insurance Schemes. Additionally, they are ensuring that all participants obtain National Identity Numbers and receive technical and funding support.
Habiba Suleiman expressed her gratitude to the Africa Human Capital Development Plus for their ongoing support. She urged stakeholders in Nasarawa State to align with the HCD Agency’s agenda to accelerate development and ensure that all citizens reach their full potential.
The Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Africa Human Capital Development Plus, Finda Koroma, praised the EmpowerHer project as a powerful testament to Nasarawa State’s commitment to gender-transformative human capital development. She noted that the project builds upon the momentum of the state’s Gender-Transformative HCD Policy Framework, launched by the Vice President of Nigeria, Kashim Shettima.
Koroma commended Governor Abdullahi Sule’s leadership and the dedication of the Nasarawa State Human Development Council, chaired by Deputy Governor Emmanuel Akabe. She emphasized that the organization’s mission is to support initiatives that go beyond knowledge and skills, ensuring that women and underserved communities have access to tools and opportunities for meaningful economic participation.
Africa HCD Plus believes that people, especially women and underserved communities, are not just beneficiaries of development but its most powerful agents. Their work focuses on five priority pillars: Health and Health Security; Nutrition and Food Security; Education, Skills Development, and Labour Participation; Entrepreneurship, Financial Inclusion, and Digital Transformation; and Gender-Transformative Human Capital Development.
The EmpowerHer Financial Literacy Project aims to support 1,200 women in 12 communities across six Local Government Areas, including six underserved, hard-to-reach communities. This project exemplifies how inclusive human capital development can be achieved by combining financial literacy with practical access to formal financial systems.
Through this project, women will receive training in budgeting, saving, and debt management, along with access to subsidized Point-of-Sale machines to support and grow their sustainable livelihoods. It also provides health protection by enrolling participants into the Nasarawa State Health Insurance Scheme, safeguarding women from economic shocks caused by health-related emergencies.
Koroma expressed gratitude to the Nasarawa State government for embarking on the project and reaffirmed HCD Plus’s commitment to supporting the state in achieving better human capital development outcomes for all its people. She emphasized the importance of collaboration in advancing gender-transformative human capital development and building a future where no one is left behind.
The Deputy Governor of Nasarawa State and Chairman of the state’s Human Capital Development Council, Emmanuel Akabe, thanked the Africa HCD Plus for its regular support. He commended the state’s HCD Agency for the opportunity given to the 1,200 beneficiaries and urged them to take advantage of the gesture to secure their livelihoods.
Earlier, the Emir of Lafia and Chairman of the Nasarawa State Council of Chiefs, His Royal Highness, Justice Sidi Bage (retired), commended the state’s HCD Agency for the initiative and assured the agency of the traditional institution’s ongoing support.
