Business
Centre Plans Male-Inclined Skills For Women
The Director-General, Na
tional Centre for Women Development (NCWD), Ms Onyeka Onwenu, said the centre would soon introduce male dominated trades into its skills acquisition programme.
Onwenu told newsmen in Abuja that the center will include such skills regarded as the unusual skills for women.
She listed the skills as carpentry, tiling, plumbing, mechanic and welding, among others.
She said that although people generally believe that such skills were exclusively for men because they require much vigour, but there were still women who are ready to embrace them.
“We know that individuals have their idea about carpentry, tiling, plumbing and the rest of such skills as which belong to the men, but it is weird if women do them too.
“In fact, we want to train women even to drive lorries because we already have those of them who drive commercial vehicles.
“When we have the women trained in these skills, you will be surprised that people will patronise them more bearing in mind that they could trust what they will come up with,” she said.
The director-general said that the centre would engage the services of organisations that would assist in the training of these women.
She added that these organisations would train the women to be acquainted with what was required of such skills.
However, Onwenu said that funding was a very big challenge to attaining the introduction of these programmes.
“We really want to empower so many women so that we can save the posterity of our dear nation.
“But to achieve this, we require funding because to empower women you need to be equipped to come up with results.
“If our scope of accessing funds is widened, it will enable us to engage more women to acquire these skills.
“People are saying that there are no jobs but let me assure you that jobs are everywhere, but our people are not challenged towards acquiring these skills that will earn them a living,” said Onwenu. Besides, Onwenu disclosed that the centre was collaborating with United Nations agencies to assist them develop more programmes that could empower women in the country.
She urged non-responsive UN agencies to speed up their intervention for the benefit of Nigerian women.
“We have been seeking assistance from the UN agencies but their responses have not been encouraging.
“Some of them are yet to believe and trust in what we can do and the specific areas the centre can channel its activities.
“They believe that the centre should be working hand-in-hand with the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development and they tend to address us from the ministry.
“They concentrate on the ministry and overlook what we do.
“Some of them actually assist but before they come up with what they have, the centre already owes because we urgently need to implement our programmes.
“They take as long as one year before they respond to our needs meanwhile it is an assistance we need within a short period,” the director-general said.
She reassured that the activities of the centre have been fortified with so many women who have benefited from its various skills acquisition programmes.
Onwenu also called on international organisations to support the activities of the centre, adding that the programmes were driven to empower rural women.
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) yesterday said 33 banks have met new minimum capital requirements under its recapitalisation programme, raising a combined N4.65 trillion to strengthen the financial system.
The apex bank disclosed this in a statement marking the end of the exercise, which commenced in March 2024 and drew participation from domestic and foreign investors.
The statement was jointly signed by the Director of Banking Supervision, Olubukola Akinwunmi, and the Acting Director of Corporate Communications, Hakama Sidi-Ali.
The statement said “Over the 24-month period, Nigerian banks raised a total of N4.65tn in new capital, strengthening the resilience of the financial system and enhancing its capacity to support the economy.”
The regulator said local investors accounted for 72.55 per cent of the funds, while international investors contributed 27.45 per cent, reflecting continued confidence in the sector.
Commenting on the outcome, the CBN Governor, Olayemi Cardoso, said in the statement, “The recapitalisation programme has strengthened the capital base of Nigerian banks, reinforcing the resilience of the financial system and ensuring it is well-positioned to support economic growth and withstand domestic and external shocks.”
It added that while 33 banks have complied with the new thresholds, a few others are still undergoing regulatory and legal processes.
The statement noted, “The CBN confirms that 33 banks have met the revised minimum capital requirements established under the programme.
“A limited number of institutions remain subject to ongoing regulatory and judicial processes, which are being addressed through established supervisory and legal frameworks.
“All banks remain fully operational, ensuring continued access to banking services for customers.”
The apex bank stressed that the exercise was executed without disrupting banking operations, ensuring uninterrupted access to services nationwide.
It further stated that key prudential indicators have improved, particularly capital adequacy ratios, which remain above global Basel benchmarks.
The minimum ratios were set at 10 per cent for regional and national banks and 15 per cent for banks with international licences.
The bank also said the recapitalisation coincided with a gradual exit from regulatory forbearance, a move it said improved asset quality, strengthened balance sheet transparency, and enhanced overall stability.
To preserve these gains, the CBN said it has reinforced its risk-based supervision framework, mandating periodic stress tests and adequate capital buffers for banks.
It added that supervisory and prudential guidelines would be reviewed regularly to strengthen governance, risk management, and resilience across the sector.
“The successful completion of the programme establishes a stronger and more resilient banking system, better positioned to support lending, mobilise savings, and withstand domestic and global shocks,” the statement said.
The Tide learnt that foreign capital inflows into Nigeria’s banking sector rose by 93.25 per cent year-on-year to $13.53bn in 2025, up from $7.00bn recorded in 2024, amid the ongoing recapitalisation drive by the Central Bank of Nigeria.
Data from the National Bureau of Statistics capital importation report showed that the banking sector remained the dominant destination for foreign capital, accounting for $13.53bn of the total $23.22bn recorded in 2025, representing 58.26 per cent of total inflows, up from 56.81 per cent in 2024.
The surge reflects heightened investor interest in Nigerian banks as they raised fresh capital to meet new regulatory thresholds introduced by the apex bank, with industry-wide recapitalisation activities driving large-scale inflows across all quarters of the year.
However, the Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise (CPPE) recently raised concerns over weak credit flows to small businesses despite recent banking sector reforms.
The CPPE, led by a renowned economist, Dr Muda Yusuf, acknowledged that the ongoing bank recapitalisation exercise by the CBN has strengthened the financial system, but warned that the benefits have yet to translate into meaningful support for the real economy.
The facility will be disbursed through participating Microfinance Institutions (MFIs), which will in turn extend the loans to their customers, particularly SMEs, as they directly interface with businesses at the grassroots level.
The Executive Director of COMCIN, Mr. Micheal Ogbaa who represented the Chairman, Dr. Iredele Oyedele (FCA, FCCA), said the initiative is designed to strengthen micro-lending institutions and expand access to finance for grassroots entrepreneurs, particularly women and youths in the informal sector.
Ogbaa explained that COMCIN does not lend directly to individuals but works through its network of microfinance and cooperative institutions, which in turn provide loans to end users.
“We came together to advocate for the microfinance ecosystem. Commercial banks often exclude people at the grassroots, but our members are positioned to reach them. This facility will empower them to do more,” he said.
He noted that the loan scheme offers low interest rates and flexible repayment plans, making it more accessible to small business owners.
According to him, about 90 percent of beneficiaries are expected to be women, who play a key role in sustaining families and driving economic activities at the local level.
“Our focus is on traders, service providers, and players in the informal sector. These are the real movers of the economy. By supporting them, we are strengthening families and contributing to national development,” he added.
Ogbaa disclosed that eligible SMEs with proven integrity and business track records could access up to N5 million each through participating micro-lending institutions. The rollout has commenced in Lagos and will extend to Abuja, Enugu, and other regions, including the South-West, South-East, and North-East.
He said 12 micro-lending institutions have already benefited from the scheme, while 85 applications are currently being processed under the pilot phase.
“Our target is to reach at least 100,000 SMEs nationwide. We are building a platform that connects funding partners with credible micro-lending institutions, creating a reliable channel for financial inclusion,” Ogbaa said.
He added that COMCIN is also working to attract larger funding pools from development finance institutions and private investors, noting that successful implementation of the pilot phase would boost confidence and unlock more capital for SMEs.
“We have seen encouraging testimonies from early beneficiaries. As we demonstrate transparency and efficiency, more institutions will be willing to channel funds through us,” he said.
