The Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, said that youth and women entrepreneurship are critical to national development and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to expanding women’s access to grants, savings collectives, and digital financial tools across Nigeria’s 774 local government areas.
Speaking at the National Youth Entrepreneurship and Empowerment Programme (YEEP 2026) in Abuja, the Minister said young Nigerians possess the determination and resilience needed to succeed, but require greater access to opportunities and resources.
“My extensive interaction with young Nigerians has left me with a conviction that they do not necessarily need to be rescued, what they need is to be resourced adequately. They already have the grit, the determination and will. What they require is that catalyst,” she said.
She stated that empowering young people was not an act of charity but an investment in the country’s future.
“For me, this is not charity. This is the foundation we are laying for the Nigeria our children will inherit, and it is a responsibility every person in this room has chosen to carry,” the Minister said.
Highlighting the growing influence of women entrepreneurs, Sulaiman-Ibrahim said women now account for 40 per cent of all new businesses established in Nigeria and are demonstrating strong economic performance despite persistent barriers to finance.
“Nigerian women are not waiting to be capable. They are already outperforming. What they are still waiting for is capital because only about 23 percent of women-owned businesses in this country have access to formal credit,” she said.
The Minister described the financing gap as a significant constraint on national productivity and said the Ministry was intensifying efforts to address the challenge.
“This is precisely why, as Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, my Ministry is deepening its commitment under the Renewed Hope Agenda of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR to expand women’s access to grants, savings collectives, and digital financial tools across all 774 Local Government Areas of this Federation, in deliberate partnership with platforms exactly like this one,” she said.
Speaking on the theme, “Entrepreneurship, Innovation, Courage and Impact“, the Minister urged young entrepreneurs to remain resilient in pursuing their ambitions.
“Courage is not the absence of fear. It is building the business plan anyway. It is showing up to pitch your idea anyway, irrespective of the challenge,” she said.
She commended the Activate Success International Foundation founder Love Idoko-Uloko for sustaining the initiative over the past decade and lauded Flutterwave for supporting enterprise development through financial infrastructure.
The Minister reaffirmed the commitment of the Ministry to support Nigerian youths, charging participants to “Go and build. Nigeria is watching, and Nigeria is counting on you”.
She also personally supported the empowerment of two female entrepreneurs spotlighted at the event.
