First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has called for increased investment in rural women through improved access to land, finance, training, technology and markets.

Tinubu made the call in a message commemorating the 2026 International Day of Rural Women on Thursday, October 15.

She said rural women play vital roles in agriculture, food security, economic growth and community development and are central to agricultural production and rural economies.

On this International Day of Rural Women 2026, we celebrate the resilience, dedication and contributions of rural women to agriculture, food security, economic growth and community development, she said.

The First Lady said the observance was significant because it coincided with the International Year of the Woman Farmer, providing an opportunity to highlight women role in food systems and rural economies.

She called for targeted investments to improve rural women access to land, finance, training, modern technology and markets, noting that such interventions would raise household incomes, strengthen local economies and support national growth.

When rural women are empowered, families prosper, communities flourish and nations grow stronger, she added.

At a separate symposium in Abuja on Wednesday organised by the Association of Wives of FCT Traditional Rulers in collaboration with the FCT Women Affairs Secretariat to mark the day, Tinubu also called for concrete action and inclusive policies to improve welfare and opportunities for rural women.

Represented by former APC women leader in the FCT, Mrs Hilmary Aipoh, she said rural women remain the backbone of local economies and cultural preservation but continue to face barriers to education, healthcare, land ownership, finance and participation in decision making.