The Akwa Ibom State Government has announced plans to empower 110,000 women across the state’s 31 Local Government Areas through cooperative societies in October 2026.

 

Governor Umo Eno disclosed this during the launch of the Federal Government’s rural women empowerment initiative and the distribution of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) cylinders in Uyo, the state capital, on Thursday.

Eno said at least 300 women would be selected from each ward across the state to participate in the empowerment programme, describing the initiative as part of his administration’s broader efforts to improve the economic wellbeing of women and vulnerable households.

The governor said women’s empowerment remains critical to social welfare and a major component of his administration’s ARISE Agenda, noting that investments in women have the potential to produce wider benefits for families, communities and local economies.

According to him, the state government’s planned intervention will be implemented through cooperative societies, providing women with a platform to access economic opportunities and strengthen their businesses.

“We are particularly pleased that this programme prioritises women, youths and vulnerable households. Empowering women creates a multiplier effect that strengthens families, communities and local economies,” Eno said.

He explained that the state’s initiative would complement existing interventions by the Federal Government, particularly the Renewed Hope Initiative, which provides financial support to women to enable them to establish, expand and sustain their businesses.

The governor said the collaboration between the state and Federal Government would help widen the reach of empowerment programmes and ensure that more women, particularly those in rural communities, benefit from economic support.

Eno also commended the Federal Government for bringing its rural women empowerment and LPG distribution programme to Akwa Ibom.

Under the LPG initiative, 27,000 households in the state are targeted to receive cooking gas cylinders. The governor said the intervention would provide immediate support to households while also contributing to broader environmental and economic objectives.

“This programme goes beyond the distribution of gas cylinders. It is about improving lives, protecting our environment and delivering economic opportunities directly to 27,000 households,” he said.

The distribution of LPG cylinders is expected to help beneficiary households reduce their reliance on traditional cooking fuels while improving access to cleaner cooking options.

For many low-income households, access to affordable and safer cooking energy remains a challenge. The state government therefore sees the intervention as an opportunity to address household welfare alongside its economic empowerment efforts.

Eno said the focus on women was particularly important because of their role in supporting families and sustaining economic activities within communities.

“Women empowerment is critical to social welfare and a major component of my administration’s ARISE Agenda, because we believe that women have the capacity to multiply whatever is entrusted to them,” the governor added.

The planned empowerment of 110,000 women represents a significant expansion of the state government’s intervention programmes, with beneficiaries expected to be drawn from communities across the state.

By using cooperative societies as a channel for the programme, the government is also seeking to encourage women to participate in organised economic activities and build stronger networks for accessing resources, markets and business opportunities.

The programme could provide opportunities for women involved in agriculture, petty trading, food processing, fashion, retail, services and other small businesses to strengthen their income-generating activities.

The intervention also aligns with broader efforts to improve the participation of women in the formal and informal economies, particularly at the grassroots level where access to finance and business support remains limited.

The governor’s announcement comes amid growing attention to women-led businesses as an important driver of household income, employment and local economic development.

For Akwa Ibom, the state government’s planned intervention, alongside the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Initiative and LPG distribution programme, is expected to provide additional support for women and vulnerable households.

The state government is expected to work with relevant cooperative societies and community structures to identify and mobilise beneficiaries ahead of the October rollout.

The initiative also highlights the growing role of government-backed interventions in supporting micro, small and medium-sized businesses, particularly those operated by women who often face challenges accessing affordable finance, business development support and productive assets.

With 110,000 women targeted across the 31 Local Government Areas, the program is expected to reach beneficiaries at the community level and strengthen the capacity of women to contribute more actively to household welfare and economic activity.

 

The Akwa Ibom Government said its commitment to women’s empowerment remains central to its development agenda, with the latest initiative designed to complement existing programmes and expand opportunities for women across the state.