Ogun partners World Bank on ₦5bn women-focused economic drive
The Ogun State Government and the World Bank Group have jointly invested over ₦5 billion in women-focused empowerment and livelihood initiatives in the past six years, Governor Dapo Abiodun has disclosed.
Abiodun made this known while receiving a delegation from the World Bank Group, led by its Vice President, Ms Galina Vincelette, at his office in Abeokuta. He said the funds were deployed through the World Bank-supported Nigeria for Women Project (NFWP) and the state’s complementary empowerment scheme, Oko’Owo Dapo.
According to the governor, about ₦3 billion was disbursed under the NFWP, while the Ogun State Government contributed ₦2 billion, bringing the total investment to roughly ₦5 billion. He noted that the programme, implemented through Women Affinity Groups (WAGs), has improved financial inclusion, strengthened social cohesion, and equipped women with leadership and basic accounting skills.
He added that Oko’Owo Dapo was launched to sustain and expand the gains of the initiative, revealing that about 55,000 women across the state have so far benefited from the programme.
Governor Abiodun also highlighted the impact of OGCARES — the Ogun State COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus Programme — describing it as a key intervention that boosted household resilience and supported food system recovery during and after the pandemic.
On the Ogun State Economic Transformation Project (OGSTEP), he said the state had recorded progress in skills acquisition, agricultural productivity, and land administration reforms, including faster issuance of Certificates of Occupancy. He added that 209 kilometres of rural roads are currently being upgraded under the Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP) to improve farm-to-market connectivity.
The governor further disclosed that the state would soon commission its Electricity Distribution Company and is pursuing multiple Independent Power Projects (IPPs), alongside plans to construct mini-grids across Ogun. He said the establishment of the Ogun State Electricity Board followed recent constitutional amendments empowering states to manage electricity generation and distribution.
In her remarks, Ms Vincelette reaffirmed the World Bank’s commitment to supporting Ogun State and Nigeria, particularly in electricity and human capital development. The World Bank Country Director for Nigeria, Mr Matthew Verghis, added that a new Country Partnership Framework focused on job creation was being prepared, noting that Nigeria currently has a $17 billion World Bank portfolio, one of the largest globally.
