Ekiti State Chief of Staff and Chairman of the Multisectoral Coordinating Structure (MCS) of the Nigeria for Women Program Scale-Up (NFWP-SU), Mr. Oyeniyi Adebayo, had received a delegation from the Ogun State Peer-to-Peer Support Team on a courtesy visit aimed at strengthening collaboration and knowledge sharing to support effective project implementation in Ekiti State.
Speaking during the visit, Mr. Adebayo reaffirmed the commitment of the Ekiti State Government to gender equality and women’s empowerment, describing the state as gender-friendly with demonstrable results to show for its policies and programmes. He noted that the Nigeria for Women Program Scale-Up is receiving the closest attention of Governor Biodun Oyebanji, assuring that the state government will continue to provide necessary institutional and policy support to ensure the success of the project.
According to him, empowering women has a multiplier effect on families, communities, and the nation at large. “When women are empowered, the nation is empowered,” he said, adding that strong women contribute significantly to peace, stability, and socio-economic development. He further stated that the Nigeria for Women Program would help promote peace and tranquility at the household level while strengthening women’s participation in community development.
Mr. Adebayo also recalled Ekiti State’s long-standing history of productive engagement with multilateral agencies, noting that the state has consistently recorded positive outcomes from such partnerships.
Earlier, the Ogun State delegation, led by the State Project Coordinator, Mrs. Bolanle Fadairo, explained that the peer-to-peer support visit was designed to share experiences, lessons learnt, and best practices from Ogun State’s implementation of the Nigeria for Women Program Scale-Up. She emphasized the importance of women enrolling early into Women Affinity Groups (WAGs) to enable them access the full benefits of the programme, including capacity building, livelihood support, and collective economic opportunities.
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs. Olusola Adeluyi-Femi, described the Nigeria for Women Program as a strategic intervention that complements Ekiti State’s women empowerment agenda. She noted that the project provides structured support for women at the grassroots, enhances social inclusion, and strengthens household resilience. According to her, the Ministry remains committed to providing technical guidance and policy backing to ensure the smooth implementation of the project across the pilot local governments.
In her remarks, the Ekiti State Project Coordinator, Mrs. Toyin Familoni, explained that Women Affinity Groups are voluntary, community-based groups of women established to promote savings, access to livelihood opportunities, and peer support. She stated that WAGs are built on principles of trust, inclusiveness, and accountability, enabling women to collectively improve their economic and social well-being. Mrs. Familoni added that members benefit from financial literacy, skills development, access to grants and linkages, as well as platforms for collective voice and decision-making.
The visit concluded with a technical interactive session, during which both Ogun and Ekiti State teams discussed strategies for strengthening WAG formation, sustainability, monitoring mechanisms, and the effective execution of the Nigeria for Women Program Scale-Up in Ekiti State.
