Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, on Monday marked the 2025 International Day of Persons with Disabilities with a nationwide business support intervention benefiting 9,500 Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) across the country. Each beneficiary received a financial grant of ₦200,000 to support or expand their small businesses.

The national flag-off ceremony was held at Mambilla Barracks in Abuja, where 250 physically challenged military and police veterans were the first to receive their funds. The symbolic launch took place simultaneously in the 36 states of the federation, the Federal Capital Territory, and through the Defence and Police Officers’ Wives Association (DEPOWA), ensuring broad national coverage.

Speaking during the event, Senator Tinubu said the initiative was designed to reinforce the country’s commitment to inclusion and to empower Nigerians living with disabilities to participate more fully in economic life. She noted that nurturing the productivity of every citizen strengthens the nation’s collective development.

> “This event holds special significance as it coincides with the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, and is being launched simultaneously across the 36 states of the federation, the Federal Capital Territory, and DEPOWA,” she said.

“Our nation grows stronger when every individual is empowered to contribute meaningfully. As Helen Keller, the renowned American disability rights advocate, once said, ‘Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.’ These words remind us that a truly inclusive society is built when we stand together, creating opportunities that empower everyone to contribute their unique gifts to our collective progress.”



Flagging off the disbursement to the 250 military and police veterans at the Abuja event, Senator Tinubu stressed that fostering a disability-inclusive society remains a central focus of her office and the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI). She said that inclusive empowerment is essential to advancing social progress and ensuring that no Nigerian is left behind.

She explained that the programme aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which prioritises inclusive growth and shared prosperity, particularly for vulnerable groups who are often underserved.

“This programme aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, 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.



The First Lady recalled that in the past two years, the Renewed Hope Initiative had extended direct financial grants to more than 100,000 women petty traders and small business owners, including PWDs, to support business growth and sustainability. Beyond financial support, she added that RHI’s interventions span agriculture, economic empowerment, education, health, and social welfare—initiatives collectively aimed at improving the well-being of families across Nigeria.

Senator Tinubu noted that since its inception in 2023, the RHI Business Recapitalisation Scheme had strengthened over 100,000 small-scale businesses, including those owned by persons with disabilities. She assured Nigerians that the initiative would continue to expand.

“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 3rd, in commemoration of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities.”



Addressing the beneficiaries, she encouraged them to use the grants wisely and productively.

“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.”



Representing the Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede, a senior military officer commended the First Lady’s intervention, describing it as a practical demonstration of care and compassion for those living with disabilities.

He noted that the support reflects the continuity of RHI’s national social investment programmes, which include ongoing medical and food outreaches across various states—targeted particularly at vulnerable households.