World Bank’s $100m Women Empowerment Targets Six States

Six states in Nigeria are to benefit from the World Bank’s $100millio women empowerment programme, the apex bank said.
A Social Development Specialist with the World Bank,  Michael Ilesannmi, in a statement on Friday made available to journalists, disclosed that the said sum has been allocated for women empowerment programme in six states of Nigeria.
Ilesanmi, who is also the Task Leader for NFW project, listed the states as Ogun, Abia, Akwa Ibom, Kebbi, Taraba, and Niger.
According to him, the project is a Nigerian government programme, designed to empower women to become economically independent.
“This project, the ‘Nigeria For Women Empowerment Project’, is a programme of the government of Nigeria with support from the World Bank.
“The first phase of the Nigeria For Women project is a $100m one, fully funded by the World Bank, being implemented by the government for six states in the country; Ogun, Abia, Akwa-Ibon, Kebbi, Taraba, and Niger States.
“It is based on government priority to invest on women, given that investing in women is smart economics.
“Improving the livelihood of the women and trying to invest in and change the discriminating social norms that prevent women from achieving their full potentials”, he stated.
He further disclosed that the project was targeted at improving the infrastructure and economic development of Nigeria.
”The World Bank is in partnership with Nigeria and the Ogun State Government to support them to empower women and grow the country’s economy.
“A programme like this helps in primary and family healthcare, making sure that every child and family gets healthcare services.  It helps children to stay in school, the 15 million children that should be in school; farmers have access to markets, and every Nigerian has access to electricity.
“So, across the board, there are so many potentials in Nigeria and there is a certain investment the government needs to make in the people, in the infrastructure and that is what we are here to make”, he said.

By: Corlins Walter