NFWP-SU: Ogun engages nine states, records formation of 1,613 affinity groups 

Ogun State has reached a significant milestone in women empowerment with the formation of 1,613 Women Affinity Groups under the Nigeria for Women Project Scale-Up (NFWP-SU), emerging as a national reference point for inclusive grassroots development.

Consequently, the achievement has drawn the attention of nine other states, whose delegations are currently on a study visit to Ogun to understudy its implementation model.

The State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Motunrayo Adijat Adeleye, disclosed this while addressing a delegation of officials from the visiting states at the implementation support mission for Southern States held in Abeokuta.

Adeleye attributed the success to the sustained commitment of the State Government under the leadership of Governor Dapo Abiodun, likewise the wide acceptability of the project’s vision majorly by the community leaders, traditional rulers and market groups in addition to the ingenuity of the project team through strategic planning.

“Women Affinity Groups are the backbone of the Nigeria for Women Project Scale-Up Project (NFWP-SU) because they provide the primary platform through which women are mobilised, empowered, and reached at the grassroots.

“They foster trust, collective savings, peer learning, and accountability, enabling women to access financial literacy, business support, and livelihood opportunities in an inclusive and sustainable way.

She noted that the present administration has consistently demonstrated strong belief in women’s capacity to contribute meaningfully to economic and social development, providing the policy support and institutional backing required for women-focused interventions to thrive.

According to the Commissioner, “although the Nigeria for Women Project commenced in 2018, the present administration not only sustained the initiative but strengthened it through the Scale-Up phase.

“I am glad to always describe the Governor’s approach as a practical demonstration of the “He for She” principle. His support for women’s empowerment has been evident through concrete actions rather than mere declarations” Adeleye added.

The commissioner disclosed that the State has exceeded benchmarks at the Scale-Up stage, becoming the only participating State to surpass the formation of 1,000 Women Affinity Groups, with figures now approaching 1,700.

“Our feat in Ogun NFWP-SU reflects both effective programme execution and the growing confidence of women across communities in the initiative, so I  commended the Nigeria for Women Project Scale-Up team in Ogun State, led by the State Project Coordinator, Mrs. Bolanle Fadairo, for their dedication and professionalism.”

In her remarks, the State Project Coordinator, Mrs. Fadairo Bolanle noted that the engagement with the States was a moment of active interaction for the project team with delegation of officials from the Federal Government, Ekiti, Abia, Kwara, Kogi, Delta, Bayelsa, Ebonyi, Anambra and Ondo States, adding that the project has recorded a total of 1,613 WAG for the Scale-Up Project which commenced in September 2025.

Fadairo noted that the understudy mission would further make the project team gear up its activities, with a view to further surpassing the expectations of the implementing partners while ensuring a more responsive women empowerment model.

NFWP-SU: Ogun engages nine states, records formation of 1,613 affinity groups