Ogun State has emerged as a national benchmark in women empowerment with the formation of 1,613 Women Affinity Groups under the Nigeria for Women Project Scale-Up (NFWP-SU), drawing attention from nine other states eager to learn from its implementation model.
The achievement was disclosed by the State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Motunrayo Adijat Adeleye, while addressing a delegation of officials from Ekiti, Abia, Kwara, Kogi, Delta, Bayelsa, Ebonyi, Anambra, and Ondo States during the Implementation Support Mission for Southern States held in Abeokuta.
The Commissioner attributed the success to the sustained commitment of Governor Dapo Abiodun’s administration, the wide acceptance of the project’s vision by community leaders, traditional rulers, and market groups, and the strategic planning by the project team.
Adeleye emphasized that Women Affinity Groups are the backbone of NFWP-SU, providing a platform for mobilizing women, fostering trust, collective savings, peer learning, and accountability.
“They enable women to access financial literacy, business support, and livelihood opportunities in an inclusive and sustainable way. By strengthening social capital and giving women a collective voice, affinity groups ensure effective programme delivery, ownership, and long-term impact within implementing Local Government Areas,” she said.
She further noted that the present administration has consistently demonstrated confidence in women’s capacity to contribute meaningfully to economic and social development, providing the policy support and institutional backing required for women-focused interventions to thrive.
“Although the Nigeria for Women Project commenced in 2018, the present administration not only sustained the initiative but strengthened it through the Scale-Up phase. Governor Abiodun’s support for women empowerment has been evident through concrete actions rather than mere declarations,” Adeleye added.
The Commissioner highlighted that Ogun State has exceeded benchmarks at the Scale-Up stage, becoming the only participating state to surpass the formation of 1,000 Women Affinity Groups, with figures now approaching 1,700.
She commended the Nigeria for Women Project Scale-Up team in Ogun State, led by State Project Coordinator Mrs. Bolanle Fadairo, for their dedication and professionalism from the pilot phase through scale-up.
Mrs. Fadairo noted that the engagement with visiting states allowed for active interaction with officials from the Federal Government and the nine participating states.
She added that the understudy mission would further strengthen the project team’s activities, aiming to surpass expectations of implementing partners while ensuring a more responsive women empowerment model.
