The Federal Government has launched the Women Agro Value Expansion (WAVE) Initiative, a flagship programme aimed at empowering 10 million women across Nigeria’s agricultural value chain.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of a national capacity-building workshop organised by the Ministry of Women Affairs in collaboration with the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Abuja, the Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, described the initiative as “a turning point” in Nigeria’s journey toward gender equity in agriculture.

She noted that despite women constituting 70% of Nigeria’s agricultural workforce and producing 80% of total agro-output, they earn 30% less than men, with only 10% having access to farmland or agricultural financing.

“This exclusion may not always be deliberate, but it is real, and it ends now,” Sulaiman-Ibrahim said.

She emphasized that under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, women are being recognized as “primary drivers of national transformation” rather than passive beneficiaries.

The WAVE Initiative seeks to provide women with skills, resources, and support to become entrepreneurs and innovators, strengthening Nigeria’s food systems and driving inclusive economic growth.

The workshop also featured the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry and the OIC to advance women’s empowerment and food security.

Assistant Secretary-General of the OIC, Ambassador Tarig Ali Bakheet, reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s efforts to empower women and promote sustainable agricultural development across the Muslim world.

Chairman of the WAVE Initiative, Mr. Shittu Kabir, described the programme as a “game-changer,” noting that it would enable women to adopt modern farming techniques, create profitable ventures, and build sustainable value chains.

“This is about transforming agriculture into a pathway for women’s economic independence,” he said.

Participants welcomed the initiative, with Mrs. Dinatu Adiza Sani from Abuja Municipal Area Council describing the training as timely:

“I have been farming ginger and groundnuts since childhood, but I only sell them raw. This workshop is teaching me how to add value and earn more,” she said, commending the Federal Government for prioritising rural women farmers.

The WAVE Initiative is rooted in the OIC Charter and the Plan of Action for the Advancement of Women (OPAAW), reinforcing Nigeria’s partnership with the OIC to empower women, strengthen food security, and foster inclusive growth.