19 hours ago
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Ogun State has recorded a significant milestone in women empowerment as the Nigeria for Women Programme Scale-Up (NFWP-SU) inaugurated Project Champions across four local government areas of the state.
DAILY POST reports that the state presently boasts 3,486 Women Affinity Groups (WAGs) comprising 83,664 women beneficiaries.
The initiative, supported by the World Bank, is being implemented in Ado-Odo/Ota, Ifo, Ijebu-Ode, and Sagamu, with a target of reaching 4,000 WAGs.
Speaking at the event, the Special Assistant to the Governor on Women Affairs, Augusta Araba, described the inauguration of the Champions as a transformative movement aimed at expanding economic opportunities for unbanked women.
She stated that since the commencement of the programme in June 2023, the project has continued to reshape the socio-economic landscape of the State through financial inclusion, enterprise development, and community engagement.
Araba commended the Project Champions for their dedication and resilience, attributing the programme’s success to their active grassroots mobilization and advocacy, highlighting their role in facilitating the training and engagement of 440 ward facilitators equipped with skills in financial literacy, digital inclusion, and enterprise development, thereby breaking long-standing barriers to women’s economic participation.
The special assistant explained that the roles of the Champions remain pivotal to the success of the Scale-Up Project, noting that they serve as the link between the programme and grassroots communities, ensuring effective implementation, monitoring progress, and sustaining the momentum of women’s economic empowerment across the State.
Also speaking, the State Project Coordinator, Bolanle Fadairo, emphasized the need for commitment and discipline among the Project Champions, noting that the success of the initiative depends largely on their dedication to its core objectives.
She urged them to remain focused and avoid actions that could undermine the integrity of the programme, stressing that they are key drivers of change within their respective communities.
Fadairo further charged the Champions to see themselves as ambassadors of transformation, encouraging them to prioritize community development over personal interest.
Meanwhile, Head of Operations, NFWP-SU, Rasheed Ajibade, who took participants down memory lane with a reflection on the successful pilot phase of the project between 2020 and 2023 in Odeda, Ijebu North East, Yewa North, and Ikenne Local Government Areas.
He urged them to see themselves not just as participants, but as accountable drivers of change whose commitment would determine the future success of the programme.
In his presentation, the Behaviour Change Communication (BCC) Advisor, NFWP-SU, Taiwo Fredrick, emphasized that “the sustainability of the initiative rests heavily on the Project Champions”. He outlined their responsibilities to include field monitoring, advocacy, promotion of Women Affinity Groups, and driving financial inclusion within their communities, while urging them to remain committed as agents of transformation.
Taiwo charged them to uphold transparency, remain accountable, and work collaboratively with stakeholders to deepen the impact of the initiative at the community level.
He further noted that beyond personal recognition, the Champions were expected to prioritize collective progress, ensuring that no woman is left behind in accessing economic opportunities.
