Kwara targets expansion of NFWP to six LGAs by year-end

The Kwara State Government has announced plans to expand the Nigeria for Women Programme (NFWP) from three to six local government areas before the end of the year as it seeks to deepen economic and social empowerment opportunities for women.

The state Commissioner for Finance, Dr Hauwa Nuru, disclosed this on Wednesday while receiving the Federal Project Team and a delegation from Ogun State on a peer-learning and implementation-support visit to Kwara.

Nuru said the state was determined to strengthen implementation of the programme and achieve measurable results, expressing confidence that Kwara had the institutional capacity and political support to emerge as one of the leading states under the initiative.

“Every minute spent in Kwara must count. We must remain focused on our targets and work together to deliver measurable results. Although we started slowly, the results are now showing that we are making significant progress,” she said.

The commissioner said the programme had already recorded positive outcomes in the state, with women and communities benefiting from interventions aimed at strengthening livelihoods and increasing economic participation.

She urged stakeholders to improve coordination, ensure regular progress reporting and speed up necessary approvals to support effective implementation.

Nuru also assured the visiting teams of the state government’s readiness to engage with partners and receive technical support that would improve programme delivery.

The Federal Task Team Lead, Michael Ilesanmi, commended the state government for its commitment to women’s welfare and economic empowerment.

He said Kwara had significant potential to become a model for the Nigeria for Women Programme, stressing that the success of the initiative should be measured by the number of women and communities whose lives are directly improved.

Ilesanmi urged the state to develop practical, results-oriented work plans capable of delivering visible outcomes, while assuring the government of continued support from the Federal Project Team and other stakeholders.

Also speaking, the Ogun State Team Lead, Mrs Bolanle Olatomi Fadeiro, shared her state’s implementation experience, stressing the need to ensure that resources committed to the programme translate into measurable impact.

She said Ogun’s approach included direct engagement and door-to-door mobilisation of women, backed by monthly reporting and regular monitoring.

Fadeiro expressed optimism that the peer-learning engagement would allow both states to exchange practical experiences, strengthen their implementation strategies and achieve better results.

The visit brought together the Kwara State Government, the Federal Project Team and the Ogun State delegation to share experiences and provide implementation support for the programme aimed at improving economic opportunities, livelihoods and wellbeing of women.