The First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has empowered 9,500 Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) across Nigeria with ₦200,000 each, totaling N1.9 billion in direct business support under her Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI).
The programme spans the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The Federal Government has also directed all ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) to fully comply with the mandatory 5 per cent employment quota for PWDs.
In Abuja, the First Lady formally disbursed the funds at Mambilla Barracks, with 250 physically challenged military and police veterans in the FCT benefiting from the initiative. Senator Tinubu described the programme as a reflection of RHI’s commitment to inclusion and shared prosperity.
The First Lady said the initiative held special significance for her as it coincided with the International Day of Persons with Disabilities and was being implemented simultaneously across the 36 states, the FCT, and through the Defence and Police Officers’ Wives Association (DEPOWA).
In a statement released by her Senior Special Assistant on Media, Busola Kukoyi, Mrs. Tinubu said: “Our nation grows stronger when every individual is empowered to contribute meaningfully.”
Quoting American disability rights advocate Helen Keller, she added: “Alone, we can do so little; together, we can do so much.” She stressed that the words serve as a reminder that “a truly inclusive society is built when we stand together and create opportunities that empower everyone to contribute their unique gifts to our collective progress.”
Mrs. Tinubu emphasised that fostering a disability-inclusive society is a deliberate pathway to advancing social progress, noting that this year’s intervention aligns fully with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
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“This programme aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, which seeks to promote inclusive growth and shared prosperity by ensuring that no Nigerian is left behind, especially those whose needs are often overlooked,” she said.
Highlighting the scale of support since RHI’s creation in 2023, the First Lady disclosed that its business recapitalization scheme has strengthened over 100,000 businesses, including those owned by persons with disabilities.
“It is worth noting that, over the past two years, the Renewed Hope Initiative has supported over one hundred thousand (100,000) women petty traders and small business owners, including persons with disabilities, with direct financial grants to grow their businesses,” she said.
In Ekiti State, RHI also empowered 250 PWDs. At the presentation ceremony in the Lady Jibowu Hall of the Government House, Ado-Ekiti, the First Lady was represented by Dr. Olayemi Oyebanji, wife of the state governor and RHI State Coordinator.
She highlighted the importance of inclusion and equal opportunity, stressing that the initiative is part of a broader national vision to ensure that no one is left behind in Nigeria’s social and economic development.
Senator Tinubu also launched the RHI Economic Empowerment for PWDs in commemoration of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. She expressed gratitude to Governor Biodun Oyebanji and Dr. Olayemi Oyebanji for their support in complementing President Tinubu’s efforts to ensure inclusive development.
Mrs. Tinubu noted that RHI interventions extend beyond financial support, spanning agriculture, education, health, and social welfare, all aimed at improving the well-being of families nationwide.
Looking ahead, she announced that the RHI Governing Board had resolved to make the Economic Empowerment Programme for PWDs an annual event.
“In recognition of our shared responsibility to promote inclusion, the Governing Board of the Renewed Hope Initiative has resolved to make the Economic Empowerment Programme for Persons with Disabilities an annual event, to be held on December 3, in commemoration of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities,” she stated.
The First Lady encouraged beneficiaries to maximise the opportunity, saying: “To all our beneficiaries, I encourage you to make good use of this opportunity. Let it be a seed that grows into something greater; a business that sustains you and your family.”
The Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede, who was represented at the Abuja ceremony, described the intervention as “a clear demonstration of compassion in action,” noting that it complements RHI’s ongoing social investment initiatives, including medical and food outreach programmes.
The event, attended by military families, disability groups, and senior government officials, underscored Senator Tinubu’s commitment to making economic inclusion a national priority.
The government also emphasized that the era of excuses for non-compliance with disability inclusion has ended. Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, issued a directive during this year’s International Day of Persons with Disabilities Forum in Abuja, mandating full enforcement of disability rights across all sectors.
In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media, Yomi Odunuga, Senator Akume said accessibility to public buildings, transport systems, and service channels is now a legal requirement. Describing 2025 as “a historic year” for disability inclusion, he noted that the five-year moratorium under the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act of 2018 has expired, moving Nigeria from transition to enforcement.
“The Federal Government under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu remains firmly committed to building a Nigeria where no one is excluded from meaningful participation. Accessibility is no longer optional. It is the law. The era of excuses is over,” Akume stated.
He urged the private sector to champion disability inclusion, calling it “smart economics” that improves innovation, widens the talent pool, and enhances corporate growth. “Companies that embrace diversity and inclusion outperform their peers. Disability has never meant inability, it simply reflects a different pathway to contribution,” he added.
Akume emphasised that PWDs are not seeking sympathy but access, opportunity, and fair recognition, and highlighted their contributions as artisans, entrepreneurs, technologists, educators, and public servants in shaping national development.
He outlined three priority actions: employing qualified PWDs to meet the 5 per cent quota, equipping workplaces with accessible tools and environments, and expanding leadership and enterprise opportunities, including support for PWD-owned businesses.
“Inclusion must be reflected in our budgets, infrastructure, hiring decisions, corporate strategies, and daily interactions. Nigeria cannot rise fully while leaving talent behind,” he said.
Finally, he praised the Office of the Deputy Speaker and the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Foundation for hosting the timely forum, calling it pivotal for Nigeria’s journey toward full inclusion.
