Ilorin, Kwara State – The Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has awarded a N50 million grant to support 1,000 petty traders in Kwara State, with each trader receiving N50,000 to help recapitalize their businesses. This announcement was made by the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, during a three-day working visit to the state, where she also commissioned several projects executed by the administration of Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq.
The First Lady highlighted the success of the RHI’s social investment programs, stating that this latest grant follows a similar initiative in August 2024, where 1,000 women petty traders were empowered with the same amount. Additionally, under the RHI’s social investment program, 250 elderly citizens received N200,000 each in December 2024 to mark the yuletide season.
In her remarks, Senator Oluremi Tinubu also revealed that the RHI had released N68.9 million to support women and young farmers in Kwara State, through the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.
Addressing the commissioning of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) community ICT centre in Ilorin, which was named after former Minister Amina Ndalolo, the First Lady emphasized the importance of education and digital empowerment. She disclosed that the RHI is partnering with the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) to establish an alternative high school for girls who have dropped out due to early pregnancies, child marriages, or socio-economic factors. This initiative aims to provide these young women with another chance to continue their education.
Furthermore, Senator Tinubu announced that Kwara State would benefit from the construction of a model early childhood care and development education centre in Ilorin.
Congratulating the Director-General of NITDA, Mallam Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, and his team for their efforts in bridging the digital divide, the First Lady commended their collaboration with the RHI. She noted that NITDA’s work is crucial in empowering communities, especially women, by providing them with access to ICT tools that foster self-reliance and economic participation.
The First Lady also praised the ongoing digital economy initiatives, with fully equipped ICT centres being established in five states—Jigawa, Ebonyi, Cross River, Oyo, Niger—and the Federal Capital Territory. Plans are underway to equip additional centres in Abia, Edo, Delta, Ondo, Kano, Katsina, Lagos, Nasarawa, Yobe, and Zamfara, which will soon be ready for commissioning.
In her closing remarks, Senator Tinubu reiterated that the expansion of digital access aligns with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which focuses on accelerating economic diversification through industrialization and digitization.
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