Renewed Hope in Action: First Lady Doles Out ₦25m Lifeline to 500 Ondo Women

First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has delivered a major economic boost to women entrepreneurs in Ondo State, disbursing ₦25 million in grants to 500 beneficiaries under the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI).

The grants, presented at the International Culture and Event Centre (The Dome), Akure, provide ₦50,000 each to help women recapitalise their businesses, improve livelihoods, and stimulate local economic growth.

Represented by Mrs. Oluwaseun Aiyedatiwa, wife of the Ondo State Governor, the First Lady stressed that the support is “a grant, not a loan” and urged recipients to invest strategically for long-term gains.

The nationwide empowerment programme will reach 18,500 women across all 36 states and the FCT, backed by a ₦1 billion contribution from the Tony Elumelu Foundation.

Ondo State Commissioner for Women Affairs, Dr. Seun Osamaye, said the grants will be monitored across the state’s 18 local government areas to ensure judicious use.
Beneficiaries, many of them petty traders and artisans, said the funding would help restock goods, purchase new tools, and expand their services.

The Ondo disbursement forms part of the RHI’s broader agenda, which has previously provided agricultural kits, health supplies, and vocational support to women in the state.

Officials say the goal is to strengthen women-led enterprises and position them as key drivers of Nigeria’s economic resilience.