Kuni Tyessi in Abuja

The Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, has called for urgent national action to empower Nigeria’s 15 million widows, describing their struggle as a test of the country’s moral conscience.

Citing data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), she noted that over 15 million widows, many of whom are central to the informal economy, face property dispossession, harmful traditional rites and systemic neglect.

Speaking Monday at the 2025 International Widows Day in Abuja, the minister declared that: “Uplifting widows is not a favour, it is a duty,” and stressed that: “Restoring dignity is not optional; it is an obligation.”

Themed ‘Empowering Widows: Building Resilience and Restoring Dignity,’ this year’s commemoration focused on transforming the life realities of widows into a foundation for economic empowerment and social justice.

According to the minister, “A widow’s cry echoes through silent nights, yet her spirit does not break. She carries in her heart the pain of loss, the strength of motherhood, and the courage of survival. She is not weak. She is the soul of resilience.”

“Too many widows face harsh realities. This is unacceptable, and we must not remain silent,” she added, while commending President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda for prioritizing inclusive development.

Sulaiman-Ibrahim announced a series of targeted interventions under the ministry’s Renewed Hope Social Impact Programmes, including: N20,000 grants for 250 widows to expand their businesses and free one-year health coverage under the NHIS.

Others are digital banking enrolment via Premium Trust Bank, National Identity registration for improved access to services and integration onto the Happy Woman App, a digital platform for empowerment and welfare updates.

She also highlighted the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, 2015, as a key tool to protect widows from abuse and harmful practices, saying: “No culture or custom should ever be used as a cover to strip women of their dignity.”

Sulaiman-Ibrahim urged state governments to fully implement protective laws like the VAPP Act, traditional and faith leaders to abolish degrading widowhood rites, private sector to develop inclusive financial and enterprise tools and all Nigerians to reject stigma and support widows in their communities

She further encouraged widows to embrace adult education opportunities, stressing that literacy is critical to empowerment.

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