The Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Iman Sulaiman-Ibrahim, has reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to strengthening women’s economic participation in agriculture through the Renewed Hope Women Agro-Value Expansion (WAVE) programme.
She stated this during a visit to the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) Kubwa Site in Abuja, Nigeria’s Capital.
During the tour of the IITA Kubwa Site, the Minister witnessed firsthand the growing economic contributions of women who are advancing within the agricultural sector through innovation, discipline, and enterprise.
The visit also provided practical insight on how women are transitioning beyond subsistence farming into structured agribusiness models that not only strengthen household incomes, but also contribute meaningfully to building sustainable National food systems.
The engagements at the institute highlighted clear progress in building organised production systems, improving value addition, and positioning women within structured agricultural value chains.
Speaking, the Minister noted that such measurable advancements reinforce the goals of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Women Agro Value Expansion Initiative, which aims to expand opportunities for women across the agricultural value chain through enhanced capacity, structured enterprise development, and stronger market integration.
Sulaiman-Ibrahim emphasised that empowering women within agriculture remains central to inclusive economic growth and long-term national food security.
Expressing optimism on deepening collaboration, the minister underscored the importance of sustained partnership with IITA to further scale impact, strengthen technical capacity, and consolidate gains already recorded.
These outcomes align closely with the core objectives of the WAVE Program NG, which focuses on developing sustainable agricultural value chains and creating viable pathways for women to move from small-scale production to profitable enterprise.
Observers and stakeholders present at the visit described the engagement as timely and strategic, noting that coordinated efforts between government and research institutions are critical to expanding opportunities for women in agribusiness.
They commended the alignment between policy direction and on-ground implementation, stressing that sustained collaboration will be essential in driving inclusive growth across Nigeria’s agricultural value chain.
The Renewed Hope Women Agro-Value Expansion (WAVE) Programme is a federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development initiative designed to empower women by integrating them into agricultural value chains, providing training, finance, and market access.