Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to empowering women through various programmes.
Sanwo-Olu made this known at the second phase of the Micro Enterprise Support Initiative (MESI), which was organised by the State Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, WAPA, in Y2025, at Blue Roof, Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos.
The Governor, who was represented by his wife, Dr (Mrs) Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, at an event where 1,700 beneficiaries went home with working tools to enhance entrepreneurship in the state, said the initiative is a programme through which the government shows commitment to creating opportunities for women to thrive and safeguard their rights.
The government procured working tools such as Stoning Machines, Aluminium Fabricating Machines, Sewing Machines, Hairdressing Kits, Agricultural Items, Fertiliser, Seeds, Vap Sack Sprayers, Orange-Fleshed Sweet Potato Vines, and Cake Mixers.
Others are Photography Equipment and cameras, Two-phase Industrial Burners with Cooking Pots, Spatulas, Slotted Spoons, and Gas Cylinders, Vulcanising Machines, POS Machines, Popcorn Machines with Gas Cylinders, Pedicure Sets, Cash Grants (for petty traders), and Pepper Grinders.
Sanwo-Olu said, “One of my greatest passions as Governor of this state is to empower our women. Over the years, I have seen firsthand that when you empower a woman, you empower a family, a community, and society. Women are the foundation of homes, the drivers of small businesses, and the nurturers of future generations. Supporting them is not just a duty; it is an investment in the collective prosperity of Lagos.
“The Micro Enterprise Support Initiative was designed with this in mind to strengthen women-owned businesses, to provide the needed capital and resources, and to give our hardworking women a pathway to financial independence.
“Today’s beneficiaries are not just receiving support; they are receiving renewed hope and an opportunity to contribute meaningfully to our state’s economic growth.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation (WAPA), Mrs Bolaji Cecilia-Dada, noted that the programme is designed to strengthen the economic backbone of women, families, and communities across the state.
She added, “The MESI programme is one of our Ministry’s most impactful interventions, as it directly supports entrepreneurs and aspiring business owners through tools, starter packs, and grants. I am proud to state that 70 per cent of today’s beneficiaries are graduates of our tuition-free Skills Acquisition Centres, carefully selected to continue their journey from training into productive enterprise. This demonstrates our commitment not just to teaching skills, but to providing the resources needed to transform those skills into sustainable businesses.’’
