Coalition Launches N100,000-Trader Empowerment Drive to Boost Northern Women Businesses 

Michael Olugbode in Abuja

A coalition of northern Nigerian women has unveiled an ambitious economic empowerment initiative targeting 100,000 petty traders across the region, a move they say will strengthen grassroots commerce while reinforcing support for the reform agenda of President Bola Tinubu.

Operating under the platform of the Tinubu Northern Women Support Group (TNWSG), the women announced the programme in Abuja, describing it as a strategic intervention designed to inject working capital directly into small-scale businesses run by women in the north.

The initiative, according to the group, will provide financial grants—not loans—to petty traders across the North-central, North-east and North-west zones, covering the 19 northern states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

National Coordinator of the group, Hon. Aisha Aliyu Obalim, said the programme was conceived as a practical step towards translating the Federal Government’s economic reform agenda into measurable benefits for women operating at the grassroots level.

She explained that petty trading remains one of the most critical survival and economic engines for households in northern Nigeria, and empowering women, who dominate the sector, could significantly stimulate local economies.

“Our objective is to ensure that the Renewed Hope Agenda becomes visible at the grassroots. These women are the backbone of community markets, and when they succeed, entire families and communities benefit,” Obalim said.

Under the plan, each beneficiary will receive financial support designed strictly as business capital to expand their existing petty trading activities—ranging from increasing stock to reaching new markets.

Unlike traditional empowerment schemes often criticised for poor sustainability, the TNWSG said its intervention would be built on a structured monitoring framework to ensure the funds translate into tangible business growth.

Beneficiaries will be organised into clusters of 50 traders, with each group supervised by a designated cluster leader responsible for monitoring the use of the grants and tracking the commercial progress of members.

Obalim said the cluster model would ensure accountability while encouraging collaboration among women traders.

“This is not a loan programme. It is a grant designed to empower hardworking women who already have small businesses but lack the capital to expand. With proper supervision and organisation, these women can transform their petty trade into thriving enterprises,” she stated.

Beyond economic support, the initiative also carries a strong political undertone, with the group openly aligning the programme with the continued leadership of Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general election.

The women said their support for the president stems from what they described as his commitment to economic reforms and national development, noting that empowering women traders would help build a stronger grassroots constituency for growth and stability.

However, Obalim insisted the empowerment programme itself would remain inclusive and not restricted by political affiliation.

“This gesture is for all northern women. Our focus is on the viability of their businesses and the economic gaps we have identified. Supporting 100,000 petty traders has the potential to transform livelihoods and strengthen the regional economy,” she said.

The group pledged to closely track the progress of the programme to ensure the funds deliver lasting economic impact for families and communities across northern Nigeria.