The Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has provided a N50 million grant to support 1,000 petty traders in Kwara State.
During a three-day working visit to the state, First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu announced in Ilorin that each trader would receive N50,000 to boost their businesses. She also commissioned several projects executed by Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq’s administration.
At the commissioning of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) Community ICT Centre in Ilorin, named after former Minister Amina Ndalolo, Senator Tinubu highlighted RHI’s previous interventions. She noted that on August 22, 2024, 1,000 women petty traders were empowered, and on December 17, 2024, 250 elderly citizens received N200,000 each as part of the initiative’s social investment programme.
She further disclosed the release of N68.9 million under the RHI agriculture programme to support women and young farmers in Kwara through the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.
Under its education programme, RHI is partnering with the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) to establish an alternative high school for girls in the state. This initiative aims to provide education opportunities for girls and women who dropped out due to early pregnancies, child marriages, or other socio-economic challenges. Additionally, Kwara State has been selected for the construction of a model early childhood care development education centre in Ilorin.
Commending the Director-General of NITDA, Mallam Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, Senator Tinubu praised the agency for commissioning a second ICT centre and working to bridge the digital divide. She also noted that digital economy centres have been fully equipped with computers and ICT materials in Jigawa, Ebonyi, Cross River, Oyo, Niger, and the Federal Capital Territory. Ten more centres in Abia, Edo, Delta, Ondo, Kano, Katsina, Lagos, Nasarawa, Yobe, and Zamfara are set to be equipped and commissioned soon.
“The knowledge of ICT is a powerful tool for community empowerment, particularly for women. It enables them to overcome traditional barriers, access new opportunities, and enhance their educational and economic prospects,” she stated.
She emphasized that expanding digital access aligns with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritizes economic diversification through industrialization and digitization.
