In a nationwide initiative that coincides with the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, First Lady of Nigeria, Oluremi Tinubu, has extended a lifeline of financial support to 9,500 persons with disabilities (PWDs) across the country, allocating N200,000 each to boost their business ventures.
According to a statement issued by her media aide, Busola Kukoyi, the launch took place at the Mambilla Barracks in Abuja, where 250 physically challenged veterans from the military and police received their grants. Speaking at the flag-off ceremony, she stressed the vital role of inclusion in national progress.
“Our nation grows stronger when every individual is empowered to contribute meaningfully. As Helen Keller famously said, ‘Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much,’” she remarked. “This programme aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which champions inclusive growth and shared prosperity, ensuring no Nigerian is left behind.”
The Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI), launched in 2023, has now supported over 100,000 women petty traders and small business owners, including PWDs, with direct financial grants. Mrs Tinubu announced that the Economic Empowerment Programme for Persons with Disabilities will become an annual event on December 3, reinforcing a commitment to sustained inclusion and empowerment.
She encouraged beneficiaries, “Let this grant be a seed that grows into something greater—a business that sustains you and your family.”
Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede, represented at the event, hailed the intervention as “compassion in action,” underscoring the importance of such support in social welfare.
This latest disbursement was part of a broader Renewed Hope Initiative effort which, besides economic empowerment, has conducted medical and food outreach programs nationwide, illustrating a holistic approach to uplifting vulnerable Nigerians.
