The First Lady, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu, on Wednesday disbursed N50 million to 1,000 petty traders in Ile-Ife, Osun State, under the Renewed Hope Initiative empowerment programme.
The programme, held at Kensington Hall in the Ooni’s Palace, saw each beneficiary receive a N50,000 grant to support and expand their businesses.
Represented by the Osun All Progressives Congress (APC) Women Leader, Alhaja Kudirat Fakokunde, the First Lady urged the beneficiaries to make prudent use of the grants to improve their businesses and enhance their families’ welfare.
She said the initiative was aimed at boosting the economic well-being of petty traders and improving their standard of living.
Speaking at the event, Dr Sekinat Oyebamiji, wife of the APC governorship candidate in Osun State, also encouraged the beneficiaries to invest the funds wisely to grow their businesses.
Mrs Kafayat Oyetola, wife of the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, appealed to residents of Ile-Ife to support the APC governorship candidate in the Aug. 15 governorship election and President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027.
The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, commended the First Lady for the empowerment programme, describing it as a timely intervention that would improve the livelihoods of petty traders across communities.
The monarch said the Renewed Hope Initiative reflected the Federal Government’s commitment to supporting vulnerable Nigerians, stressing that genuine empowerment should be directed at those most in need.
He added that all verified beneficiaries would receive the grants and urged recipients to use the funds productively to strengthen and sustain their businesses.