The Federal Government has set a goal to transition one million households from firewood-based cooking to clean and sustainable energy as part of its climate action efforts.
This announcement was made by the Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, during a press briefing in Abuja marking her first 100 days in office.
Sulaiman-Ibrahim highlighted this initiative as a key component of Nigeria’s gender-responsive climate action, emphasizing the significant role women play in advocating for climate solutions and leading efforts in climate adaptation.
The Minister also noted Nigeria’s participation in the upcoming COP29 in Azerbaijan, which will provide a platform for engaging the global community on gender-inclusive climate policies.
In addition to environmental sustainability, Sulaiman-Ibrahim outlined the government’s broader objective of empowering 10 million women by 2027. This goal is aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s vision of a $1 trillion economy. To achieve this, the Ministry of Women Affairs is implementing several programs, including the Nigeria for Women Scale-Up Project, which is supported by the World Bank. The project aims to equip 4.5 million women with financial literacy, business development skills, and cooperative training to boost their economic contributions.
The ministry has also launched the MOWA-SARA Accelerated Skills Acquisition Programme in partnership with WEMA Bank. This initiative offers vocational and business training to 500,000 women, with the first phase currently underway in Kano, where 2,500 women are being trained in various entrepreneurial skills to promote financial independence.
Efforts to enhance women’s access to finance are progressing as well. The ministry is working on establishing a National Microfinance Framework, designed to bridge the financial gap for women entrepreneurs by providing affordable credit and gender-responsive financial services to help them grow their businesses.
In addition to these initiatives, the ministry has introduced a food intervention program aimed at providing financial assistance and supporting women-led agricultural projects. A nationwide campaign has also been launched to distribute menstrual hygiene kits to 10,000 girls, addressing period poverty and promoting their education and well-being.
Dr. Suwaiba Sa’id-Ahmad, the Minister of State for Education, also encouraged women to take advantage of available empowerment opportunities. She commended Sulaiman-Ibrahim’s commitment to addressing critical issues affecting Nigerian women and girls, including early marriage, teenage pregnancy, and access to education.
