Remi Tinubu gives ₦100m grant to 2,000 Benue women, opens ICT centre

• First Lady Oluremi Tinubu distributed a ₦100 million economic grant to 2,000 women petty traders in Benue State.

• She commissioned the Lucy Zayol Aluor Community ICT Centre in Vandeikya to advance local digital literacy and tech skills.

• The visit included the official inauguration of 10 newly constructed intra-city roads to improve infrastructure in Makurdi.

Nigeria's First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has empowered 2,000 women in Benue State with a ₦100 million grant under the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI).

During her Tuesday visit, the First Lady launched the economic programme and commissioned a new Community ICT Training Centre in Ihugh, Vandeikya LGA. The modern facility was built through a partnership between the Renewed Hope Initiative and NITDA.

The grant, aimed at supporting women-owned businesses, will see each beneficiary receive ₦50,000 to boost their economic activities and improve their livelihoods.

Speaking during the event, Mrs Tinubu said the intervention was part of the Renewed Hope Initiative's efforts to promote economic empowerment, financial inclusion and sustainable development among women across the country.

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She noted that empowering women remained critical to national development, adding that the programme was designed to help beneficiaries expand their businesses and contribute more effectively to their families and communities.

The First Lady also commissioned the ICT Community Centre established through the Renewed Hope Initiative.

The facility is expected to provide training in digital literacy, technology and other ICT-related skills for youths and women in the area.

According to her, the centre will help bridge the digital divide and equip beneficiaries with skills needed to participate in the modern economy.

The First Lady's visit to the North-Central state extended beyond digital and financial inclusion. 

Upon her arrival, Mrs Tinubu participated in the official commissioning of 10 newly completed intra-city roads spanning roughly 11.5 kilometres in the state capital, Makurdi.

The road networks, which include the Shire Bakut Road dual carriageway and Abu Ken Shulua Road, were executed under Phase I of the Urban Renewal Programme led by the Benue State Government. 

In a gesture of appreciation, one of the newly constructed access routes, Ishayaba Street, was officially renamed after the First Lady.

"These roads are pathways to economic growth. They will improve mobility, enhance security, and ensure a better quality of life for the people of Makurdi and beyond," Senator Tinubu stated.

Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr Hyacinth Alia thanked the First Lady for choosing the state as one of the beneficiaries of the Renewed Hope Initiative's programmes.

He said the grant and ICT centre would positively impact the lives of residents, particularly women and young people seeking economic opportunities.

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The Renewed Hope Initiative, chaired by the First Lady, has implemented similar empowerment programmes across several states, providing grants, educational support, vocational training and other interventions targeted at women, youths and vulnerable groups.

The Benue programme is part of the initiative's nationwide campaign to improve livelihoods, reduce poverty and expand access to economic opportunities through targeted support and skills development.