As part of ongoing efforts to uplift grassroots women and promote small-scale businesses, the First Lady of Ekiti State, Dr. Olayemi Oyebanji, has intensified her outreach to petty traders across the state through the Renewed Hope Initiative a social intervention programme championed by Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, in collaboration with the Bank of Industry and the Office of the Ekiti State First Lady.
Dr. Oyebanji, who was represented by her Senior Special Assistant on Political Matters, Mrs. Toyin Adepoju, visited several markets in Ekiti State, including Iworoko Market, Enu Odi Market, and Awedele Market, where she interacted with beneficiaries of the Presidential Conditional Grant Scheme for ten thousand nano-enterprises. The initiative targets low-income traders and artisans, especially women, to help them grow and sustain their businesses amid prevailing economic challenges.
During the visit, Dr. Oyebanji, speaking through her aide, explained that the visit was a follow-up to an earlier exercise where the team had registered petty traders for financial assistance. She emphasized that the cash support of Fifty Thousand Naira (# 50,000.00 ), which is being paid directly into the beneficiaries’ bank accounts, is a deliberate step by the government to ease the burden on grassroots entrepreneurs and empower them toward economic stability.
“We were here two months ago to capture petty traders with the promise that their businesses would be supported. Today, we have returned to fulfill that promise. I am sure many of you have already received alerts. For those who are yet to receive theirs, please be assured it will come soon. And for others not yet captured, we will reach you in due time,” she said.
The traders, visibly elated, expressed profound gratitude for the gesture. They described the intervention as timely and impactful, especially given the current economic realities faced by market women and small-scale business owners. Many noted that the support would enable them to restock goods, settle debts, and stabilize their daily trading activities.
Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, the market head of Oke Ila, Mrs Adesina Fehintola commended the Federal Government and Governor Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji (BAO) for their inclusive governance and for paying attention to the needs of ordinary citizens.
Dr. Olayemi Oyebanji reiterated that the support to petty traders was not a one-off intervention but a strategic programme designed by the nation’s First Lady to promote financial independence among women and reduce poverty at the grassroots.
She reaffirmed her office’s commitment to ensuring that more women across all local government areas in Ekiti State benefit from the initiative.
“This initiative is not just about giving cash; it’s about building economic resilience, giving women a voice, and ensuring that no hardworking woman is left behind,” she emphasized.
The outreach is one of several people-oriented programmes under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s leadership, focused on economic empowerment and social protection for petty traders, particularly women, across Nigeria.
