Remi Tinubu Empowers 500 Cross River Market Women with ₦50,000 Each Ahead of 2027 Elections

First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu has extended financial support and household items to 500 market women and petty traders in Cross River State as part of an empowerment programme aimed at supporting small businesses and strengthening women's mobilisation ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The exercise took place on Saturday at Watt Market in Calabar and was organised through the Women Mobilisation Directorate of the APC Presidential Campaign Council.

₦50,000 Cash Support for 500 Women

The First Lady was represented by the Deputy Director of the directorate and former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Dr Betta Edu, who said the programme was organised at Tinubu's instance.

Edu explained that each of the 500 beneficiaries would receive ₦50,000 as seed capital to help expand their businesses. Other beneficiaries also received items including deep freezers, blenders and toasters.

She said the intervention was designed to support traders operating with limited working capital, adding that the funds could help them grow their businesses and improve their ability to provide for their families.

Programme to Cover Other Parts of Cross River

Edu disclosed that the Calabar outreach was the first phase of the programme in Cross River State. She said similar exercises were planned for Ogoja in November or December and the northern senatorial district in January 2027.

According to her, the initiative would be extended to other states across the country, with mobilisation teams expected to engage women in different communities.

She also highlighted some interventions of the Tinubu administration, including the Students Loan Scheme, free maternal healthcare for pregnant women and subsidised dialysis services.

During the event, Edu urged residents of Cross River to support President Bola Tinubu, Governor Bassey Otu and other APC candidates in the 2027 elections.

Beneficiaries Welcome the Intervention

One of the beneficiaries, Esther Bassey, a widow and mother of three from Odukpani Local Government Area, said the support would help her sustain her livelihood and cater for her children.

She expressed appreciation to the First Lady and pledged to mobilise her family to support the APC in the 2027 elections.

Earlier, Edu and members of the directorate visited women and children receiving treatment at General Hospital, Calabar, where they donated gift items and offered encouragement.

The hospital administrator, Mrs Bassey Offiong-Effiom, thanked the First Lady for the intervention and acknowledged the support given to the state's health sector by the federal and state governments.

Women Traders and Access to Finance

Women play a major role in Nigeria's informal economy, particularly in market trading and the distribution of essential goods. However, many small-scale traders face difficulties accessing affordable finance to maintain and expand their businesses.

The empowerment programme comes against this backdrop, combining cash assistance and business equipment with a wider political mobilisation effort ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Punch Newspapers