By Sam Israel
The women of Nasarawa State have been placed at the centre of a major grassroots economic empowerment initiative as the Hajiya Maryam Ahmed Wadada Aliyu Women Empowerment Scheme 2026 begins the disbursement of ₦325 million to 6,500 women across the 13 Local Government Areas of the state.
The intervention, which commenced on Monday at the headquarters of Awe Local Government Area, will see 500 women from each of the 13 LGAs receive ₦50,000 each, reaching communities across the state’s 147 wards.
The initiative, championed by Hajiya Maryam Ahmed Wadada Aliyu, wife of the APC governorship candidate for Nasarawa State, Senator Ahmed Aliyu Wadada, is designed to provide direct financial support to women at the grassroots and strengthen their capacity to engage in small-scale businesses and income-generating activities.
Addressing a large gathering of enthusiastic women during the flag-off ceremony in Awe, Hajiya Maryam urged the beneficiaries to regard the financial support not merely as assistance, but as seed capital capable of creating sustainable sources of income.
She encouraged the women to invest the money in viable businesses such as cake baking, groundnut processing and sales, petty trading and other enterprises capable of generating regular income.
According to her, investing the money wisely would enable the beneficiaries to multiply the value of the assistance and create a more sustainable economic future for themselves and their families.
She stressed that women have a critical role to play in strengthening household economies and contributing to the development of their communities, urging the beneficiaries to demonstrate prudence and entrepreneurial commitment.
Hajiya Maryam used the occasion to call on the people of Nasarawa state to vote her husband in the governorship election in 2027.
The Chairman of Awe Local Government Council, Alhaji Umar Dan-aKano, expressed appreciation for the empowerment programme, describing it as a timely intervention aimed at improving the economic wellbeing of citizens at a period when many families are facing serious financial challenges.
He commended Hajiya Maryam Wadada and Senator Ahmed Wadada Aliyu for extending the empowerment initiative to women at the grassroots, noting that programmes of this nature could have a meaningful impact when beneficiaries are encouraged to invest the resources productively.
The APC Women Leader, Mrs. Blessing Joseph, alongside Hajiya Rukaya Dan-aKano and Maryam Musa Ahmed, also commended Senator Wadada for what they described as a philosophy of empowerment that prioritises the welfare of ordinary people.
They noted that the intervention was particularly significant because it was coming at a time when the economic situation had made it increasingly difficult for many families to meet their daily needs and sustain small businesses.
In his remarks, Hon. Idris Idi Dansadua, Special Assistant to Senator Ahmed Wadada Aliyu, said the empowerment programme was also a demonstration of appreciation to the people who supported Senator Wadada during the APC governorship primary that culminated in his emergence as the party’s candidate for the 2027 governorship election.
He explained that the intervention was intended to strengthen the relationship between the political leadership and the people while providing practical assistance to women whose economic contributions remain central to the survival and development of many households.
Earlier, Hajiya Maryam Wadada paid a courtesy visit to the Emir of Awe at his palace in Awe town, where she presented the purpose of the empowerment initiative and sought the monarch’s prayers and support.
Responding, the Emir expressed appreciation for the poverty-reduction initiative and prayed for peace, stability and a successful democratic process in Nasarawa State.
The monarch also called for peaceful elections and urged the people of the state to come out en masse to exercise their franchise and participate actively in the democratic process so that the candidate of their choice could emerge.
The commencement of the Awe disbursement marks the beginning of a statewide exercise scheduled to run from 10th to 16th August 2026, with beneficiaries drawn from all 13 LGAs of Nasarawa State.
With 6,500 women, 147 wards and ₦325 million at the heart of the intervention, the scheme represents a significant grassroots-focused effort to put financial resources directly into the hands of women.
Its central message is unmistakable: women cannot be treated as spectators in the development process.
For every woman who turns the ₦50,000 intervention into a thriving enterprise, a household could gain another source of income; for thousands of women who invest wisely, entire communities could experience renewed economic activity.
The Hajiya Maryam Wadada Women Empowerment Scheme therefore goes beyond the distribution of money; it presents a call for women to transform financial assistance into enterprise, enterprise into income, and income into lasting economic independence.
From Awe to the other LGAs of Nasarawa, the message is clear: when women are empowered at the grassroots, families become stronger, businesses grow and communities move forward.
Israel JP is the Senior Special Assistant SSA on media to Senator Ahmed Wadada Aliyu.
