Federal Ministry of Women Affairs Leads Historic Charge to End Energy Poverty for 3 Million Nigerian Women

 

In a landmark move to transform the lives of millions of Nigerian women, the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs has launched a national stakeholder engagement to end energy poverty, beginning an ambitious drive to empower 3 million women across all 774 local government areas with access to clean, reliable energy solutions by 2027.

Speaking at the engagement held at the Ministry's headquarters in Abuja on April 23, 2025, the Honourable Minister of Women Affairs, Hon. Imaan Suleiman-Ibrahim, declared the initiative a defining moment for national development. "This is not just another policy conversation—it is a purpose-driven revolution," she said. "Every year, over 80,000 women die from toxic smoke due to traditional cooking methods. These are not numbers—they are mothers, providers, and builders of this nation. That must end on our watch."

 The Minister emphasized that the clean energy revolution will be designed by women, for women, and led by women, using a data-driven and community-based approach to deliver solutions directly to rural and underserved areas. This approach ensures that the solutions are tailored to the specific needs of women in these areas.

Delivering a goodwill message on behalf of Chief Adebayo Adelabu, the Honourable Minister of Power, who was ably represented, reaffirmed the Ministry's commitment to gender-inclusive energy access. “We stand fully aligned with the vision of this initiative,” the representative stated. “The Ministry of Power, through the Rural Electrification Agency, is deploying decentralized solar systems and clean cooking technologies to bridge this gap.”

Also, present was Dr. Olayode Olasupo, representing Mr. Khalil Halilu, CEO of the Nigerian Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI). He announced key innovations, including the soon-to-be-deployed Clip Hook Stove, which uses briquettes and pellets instead of firewood, and the NASENI Solar-Powered Irrigation Project aimed at women farmers. “We are building renewable energy parks and launching nationwide manufacturing of cleaner stoves and home solar systems. This is Nigeria's future, and women will lead it.”

The Managing Director of CreditCorp, Uzoma Nwagba, highlighted the importance of leveraging technology, not just funds, to solve the issue. “It already costs less for rural women to power their homes with solar than with kerosene or petrol,” he explained. “The problem is access—and today, we are solving that with partnerships that work.”

Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Suleiman-Ibrahim (5th L); Managing Director, Nigerian Consumer Credit Corporation (CREDITCORP), Uzoma Nwagba(M) and the beneficiaries of the free solar panels during a multi-stakeholder engagement to discuss critical issues affecting women and girls also to end energy poverty in Nigeria organized by the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs in collaboration with CREDITCORP in Abuja on Wednesday (23/4/25).

The stakeholder engagement drew participation from key agencies and private sector players, including NASENI (Nigerian Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure), CreditCorp (a leading provider of financial solutions), SPARC (Society for Promoting Action and Research in Community Development, a non-profit organization focused on community development and social impact), and the Rural Electrification Agency (a government agency responsible for increasing access to electricity in rural areas).

All parties echoed a commitment to systems-thinking, strategic collaboration, and rapid, scalable deployment of clean energy solutions.

In her closing remarks, Hon. Imaan Suleiman-Ibrahim reaffirmed the Ministry’s dedication to transforming energy access into a vehicle for women’s empowerment, economic inclusion, and national growth. “This is a call to action. Let us be remembered as the generation that turned firewood into fuel for progress.”