Nigeria’s First Lady Oluremi Tinubu Empowers 1,000 Lagos Women, Inaugurates Leather Hub
By BENJAMIN OMOIKE LAGOS, Nigeria
— Nigeria’s First Lady and National Chairman of the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI), Senator Oluremi Tinubu, on Friday reaffirmed her administration’s commitment to women empowerment and enterprise development with the empowerment of 1,000 women in Lagos State and the inauguration of a new Industrial Leather Hub in Mushin.
The empowerment programme, themed“Empowering Women for Self-Reliance and SDGs Acceleration”, took place at the Lagos House in Ikeja and saw the distribution of business tools to women across the state.
Beneficiaries received items including gas cookers, grinding machines, chest freezers, generators, and hair dryers—tools designed to equip them for entrepreneurship and self-reliance.
Senator Tinubu noted that while 500 women were supported in other states, Lagos received an additional 500 empowerment items, courtesy of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, bringing the total number of beneficiaries in the state to 1,000. “These tools are not just equipment—they are instruments of change. They represent the promise of a better future, one where women can lift themselves and their families out of poverty,” Tinubu said.She added that over 18,500 women across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones are expected to benefit from the Renewed Hope Initiative’s programmes.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, emphasized that the programme aligns with key global development goals, particularly SDGs 1 (No Poverty), 2 (Zero Hunger), 5 (Gender Equality), 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), and 10 (Reduced Inequality). In his remarks, Governor Sanwo-Olu commended the First Lady’s sustained commitment to social development and urged beneficiaries to utilize the empowerment tools effectively rather than sell them. “This is an opportunity to build wealth, support families, and contribute to the state’s GDP. Let us make the most of it,” the Governor advised.Lagos Unveils Leather Hub. In a related event, Senator Tinubu also inaugurated the Lagos State Industrial Leather Hub located in Matori, Mushin. The facility, developed by the state government, aims to boost local manufacturing, support small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs), and establish Lagos as a leading leather production center in Africa. Governor Sanwo-Olu disclosed that the hub is projected to generate 10,000 direct and indirect jobs, with 70 percent of the opportunities targeted at women and young people. Additionally, over 15,000 artisans are expected to benefit from training and startup support facilitated through the centre. “By expanding access to capital, improving infrastructure, and enhancing technical capacity, we will deepen the leather value chain and elevate Lagos to become Africa’s premier leather hub,” the Governor said. The event climaxed with the renaming of the facility in honour of the First Lady. To a round of applause, Governor Sanwo-Olu officially christened the centre the Senator Oluremi Tinubu Industrial Leather Hub. The ceremony was attended by several dignitaries, including the Wife of the Vice President, Hajia Nana Shettima; the Wife of the Lagos State Governor, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu; Deputy Governor, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, and his wife; as well as members of the National and State Assemblies, top government officials, and community leaders.
