Lagos supports 733 widows with empowerment programmes

Lagos State has provided support to 733 widows through programmes intended to improve welfare, protect rights and create sustainable livelihoods.

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Support for widows must go beyond sympathy. It must include access to justice, protection from discrimination and harmful practices, as well as opportunities that enable them to become economically independent.

The intervention was announced during the state’s 2026 International Widows Day commemoration, organized by the Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation. The event carried the theme “Justice, Dignity and Economic Power for Widows.”

Commissioner Bolaji Dada said assistance should go beyond sympathy. She pointed to skills training, grants, business support and livelihood programmes, including tuition-free skills acquisition centers, the Micro Enterprise Support Initiative and the Life Skills Economic Empowerment Programme.

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A widow should not be defined by her loss. She should be seen as a woman with abilities, experience, aspirations and the capacity to contribute meaningfully to her family and society.

Dada urged government agencies, civil society groups, communities and other stakeholders to work together against discrimination and harmful practices. She also called on the media to highlight widows’ resilience, achievements and contributions, rather than portraying them only through their hardships. “Your circumstances may have changed, but your abilities and potential remain valuable. Do not allow your present situation to define your future,” she told beneficiaries.

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Your circumstances may have changed, but your abilities and potential remain valuable. Do not allow your present situation to define your future.