Business
Women Groups Hail RUFIN’s Empowerment Initiative
Some women groups which benefitted from the Rural Finance Institution Programme (RUFIN), say the programme has particularly empowered women economically.
The beneficiary groups from Agbowa-Ikosi, Ejirin and Mutaku communities in Epe local government area of Lagos State commended RUFIN for improving the lot of women and households in the neighbourhood.
Representatives of the women groups told The Tide source in Agbowa-Ikosi recently that the programme had made women to become more relevant in their various households.
Mrs Bridget Okute, President, God’s Time Cooperative Society, said that since the women now had a stable source of income, their husbands had been showing more respect for them.
She said that members of her group were now able to feed their families and take care of other domestic tasks, adding that they also garnered more respect from their husbands.
”Our husbands do not chastise us again because we now assist them financially; unlike before when we had to wait for them before we could meet most of our financial obligations.
”RUFIN has helped us; for instance, in the cooperative society which I coordinate, we, the members, are now more dignified; we are now able to expand our farms and grow varieties of crops; we are even employers of labour,’’ she said.
Okute said that the members of the cooperative society were now more educated on how to save money, accumulate funds and access credit facilities.
”In my group, we have been able to manage our internal funds judiciously; we also have links with micro-finance banks, where we can access loans within a short period.
”Some of the micro-finance banks give us loans at 2.2 per cent rate and have even increased our borrowing capacity from N30, 000 to N100, 000 to N300, 000 at the same percentage.
”I am glad to tell you that we are now financially independent; we give internal loans to our members and even run a group credit account,’’ she said.
Also speaking, Mrs Ronke Sherumukuma, a member of the group, said that she only had a smattering knowledge of cassava farming until she attended a RUFIN capacity-building workshop.
”During the workshop, there were practical and participatory presentations on cassava and maize farming as well as piggery; thereafter, we were linked to micro-finance banks.
”I was given a N30,000 loan, with a three-month moratorium and payment plan; today, I have a big cassava and pineapple farm, and I am currently planning to obtain a N400,000 loan,’’ she said.
Sherumukuma also commended the micro-finance banks for their liberal loan schemes with low interest rates.
Mrs Roselyn Apebe, a member of Able Farmers’ Cooperative Society in Agbowa-Ikosi, also thanked the micro-finance banks for making lives easy for them.
”With their help, I am now a big-time farmer with large cocoa yam and cassava farms; I have also expanded my farming activities, while venturing into other businesses.
Besides, Mr Omoseyinde Johnson, a member of Lofi Men and Women Cooperative Society in Ejirin, Epe, said that the easy access of the group to credit facilities had empowered its members economically, as a number of them now owned fishing canoes.
He noted that RUFIN had established various partnership and linkage schemes to help small farmers and others to break away from the yoke of poverty and prosper.
He said that such linkages had facilitated the evolution of strong synergies, thereby strengthening the impact of the programme, particularly in the areas of capacity building, financial linkages and knowledge sharing, among others.
He said that RUFIN had created an enabling environment for micro-finance schemes to thrive in the country, adding that their impact was now more pronounced among RUFIN beneficiaries in the rural areas, leading to success stories.
NAN reports that RUFIN was implemented in 12 states across the six geo-political zones of the country, with two states from each zone benefitting from it.
The programme is funded by the Federal Government and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).
RUFIN has ended in May but some beneficiaries underscored the need to restart the programme and extend it to states, which hitherto had not benefited from it, because of its positive impact on the rural populace.
In a concerted effort to tackle racketeering and reduce inflated transportation costs in the Nigeria’s seaports, Trucks Transit Parks Ltd. (TTP) has trained Licensed Customs Agents and Freight Forwarders on the use of its Ètò electronic call-up system.
The training was held recently at Customs Processing Centre (CPC) Auditorium, Apapa, Lagos, in collaboration with the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and supported by the leadership of the Joint Association of Licensed Customs Agents and Freight Forwarders (JALCAFF), Apapa Command.
Speaking at the event, Comptroller Babatunde Olomu expressed appreciation to TTP for facilitating the training and emphasized the need for customs agents to take personal ownership of the Ètò booking process.
“I want to thank TTP for this impactful training. I encourage all customs agents to begin doing their own bookings directly. By doing so, they can take back power from the unscrupulous elements exploiting their lack of knowledge, selling tickets at highly inflated prices,” Olomu declared.
He noted that empowering agents with hands-on training was key to dismantling racketeering networks that have plagued access to the ports and frustrated efficient logistics processes.
Also speaking, the Chairman, Apapa Chapter of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Chief Emeka Chukwumalu, said the engagement was critical to the ongoing push to reduce cargo transportation costs and ease business operations at the Apapa Port.
According to a freight forwarder, “The training is basically for us to have awareness of the operations of the Ètò call-up system through TTP. We also want to brainstorm on ways to reduce the high cost of cargo transportation in Apapa Port.
“This training opened our eyes to how simple it is to book tickets ourselves. We now know the right steps to follow and how to avoid falling victim to fraudsters.”
Earlier, Head of Operations at TTP, Mr. Irabor Akonoman, talked on common misconceptions about ticket pricing, reaffirming that the cost of Ètò bookings had remained consistent since its inception.
“The official price remains the same since inception. What people are paying higher amounts for is the manipulation by racketeers”.
Towards strengthening small businesses and promoting a more supportive regulatory environment, the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) says it will hold the 2025 edition of its flagship MSMEs Fair on Tuesday (May 6, 2025).
The event, themed, “Galvanising MSMEs for Economic Growth and Stability”, will take place at NECA House in Lagos.
According to NECA’s Director-General, Mr Adewale Smatt Oyerinde, the fair seeks to provide micro, small, and medium enterprises with essential tools, resources, and strategic networks to thrive in Nigeria’s challenging business climate.
He emphasised the vital role MSMEs play in national development, describing them as the “lifeblood of Nigeria’s economy.”
Oyerinde noted that the fair is designed to offer entrepreneurs practical solutions to navigate economic uncertainties, regulatory hurdles, and business scalability issues.
A major attraction of this year’s event is the keynote address by the CEO of FATE Foundation, Mrs. Adenike Adeyemi, a prominent advocate for MSME development.
She is expected to share transformative insights on innovative strategies for sustaining and growing small businesses in Nigeria.
A unique feature of the fair will be interactive sessions with key regulatory bodies. Entrepreneurs will engage directly with agencies responsible for licensing, compliance, taxation, and business registration.
NECA said these sessions aim to demystify bureaucratic processes and foster a more enabling business environment.
It also said the fair will provide a platform for entrepreneurs to exhibit their products and services, connect with potential investors, and explore new markets.
It added that participants would gain critical knowledge on digital transformation, access to finance, and strategies for sustainable business growth.
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· NECA stressed that the fair aligns with its broader mission of promoting enterprise development and economic resilience.
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· “By empowering MSMEs with the right support and information, the organisation aims to stimulate job creation, innovation, and long-term economic stability”, NECA said.
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· The 2025 MSMEs Fair is expected to attract a wide range of stakeholders, including financiers, tech experts, regulators, and industry leaders, all united in advancing the growth of Nigeria’s MSME sector.
The Lagos State Commissioner for Transport, Mr Oluwaseun Osiyemi, says over two million passengers have been transported on the Blue Line Rail since its launch, while state-run buses move an average of 42,000 commuters daily.
Osiyemi, who disclosed this during the Year 2025 Ministerial press briefing held at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre, Alausa, on Tuesday, noted that the Lagos State Transport Policy, launched in May 2024, was now in its implementation phase, focusing on inclusivity, safety, affordability, and sustainability.
“On rail development, Phase One of the Blue Line (Marina to Mile 2) has served over two million passengers, with Phase Two (Mile 2 to Okokomaiko) in progress.
“Phase One of the Red Line (Agbado to Oyingbo) is now operational with eight stations and additional rolling stocks procured, while Phase two (Oyingbo to link Blue Line at National Theatre) is underway”, he said.
The Commissioner said in the state-owned bus operations, over 60 million commuters have been served since 2019, with daily ridership exceeding 40,000.
He also said plans were on to deploy new buses with Quality Bus Corridors under construction, adding that the Abule=Egba Bus Terminal had also been commissioned.
“For water transport, 15 locally-built Omibus Ferries have been launched and are in operation, with the Ijegun Egba Terminal now open.
“The OMI EKO project, in partnership with the French Development Agency (AFD), will deliver 25 terminals and 78 electric ferries.
“Over 280,000 passengers have used ferry services in the past year, and 12 boats have been upgraded to meet safety standards”, he said.
On road infrastructure and traffic management, the Commissioner said 49 junction improvement projects had been completed, including ongoing ones at Ikorodu, Iju, as well as Allen-Opebi-Toyin axis.
He added that solar-powered Traffic Signal Lights, road markings covering 67.9km, new medians, laybys, and 3,941 parking lots had also been provided.
Additionally, Osiyemi announced that the deployed Automatic Number Plate Recognition cameras had detected over 470,000 traffic violations and that the Vehicle Inspection Service issued over one million roadworthiness certificates.
He also said that the Lagos State Drivers’ Institute trained more than 32,000 drivers in the past 13 months.
The event marked the second anniversary of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s second term, showcasing major strides in the transport sector under the THEMES+ agenda.
Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos