Abuja: The Federal Ministry of Women Affairs (FMoWA) and the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women have officially unveiled a transformative partnership aimed at reshaping the landscape for women entrepreneurs across Nigeria. The partnership was formalised during a high-level signing ceremony in Abuja, at the private residence of Cherie Blair CBE KC, Founder of the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Jonathan Eze, Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Minister, said in a statement that the initiative was designed to enhance access to vital training, financial resources, and market opportunities for women-led enterprises throughout the country. Cherie Blair expressed her enthusiasm for the partnership and stressed the importance of supporting women in business. She emphasized the necessity of addressing challenges faced by women to ensure sustainable growth, economic independence, and representation as leaders.
Dhivya O’Connor, CEO of the Cherie Blair Foundation, noted that with nearly 150,000 women already supported in Nigeria, the foundation was positioned to make a substantial impact through the new collaboration. The approach includes specialist training, digital technology engagement, strong localisation, and committed long-term collaboration.
Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, highlighted that the partnership aligned with the ministry’s flagship initiative, Renewed Hope Social Impact Interventions, 774, under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. She stated that empowering women economically is essential, and through this collaboration, they are building systems of change to uplift millions of Nigerian women and strengthen the economy’s future.
The initiative aims to significantly improve the lives of women, children, families, and vulnerable populations across Nigeria’s 774 local government areas.