The Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development has unveiled plans for a nationwide women-focused empowerment initiative tagged “The Power of 10 Million: One Voice One Movement One Choice”, aimed at mobilising and economically empowering women across Nigeria through a ward-based development framework.
The initiative was formally presented at a press conference held in Abuja on Wednesday, ahead of the planned National Women Mega Empowerment & Rally 2026, scheduled for May 5 at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium.
The Honourable Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, described the initiative as a “historic national movement” designed to place women at the centre of Nigeria’s development agenda under the Renewed Hope vision of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
According to her, the programme goes beyond a symbolic gathering, stressing that it represents a structured empowerment drive targeting women at the grassroots across all electoral wards in the country.
She explained that the Abuja rally will host about 60,000 participants within the stadium, while the broader ambition is to reach and empower 10 million Nigerian women nationwide through coordinated ward-level interventions.
The Minister disclosed that each ward across the federation is expected to benefit from structured empowerment packages, including financial support, cooperative group formations, and enterprise development opportunities. She added that the initiative will adopt a bottom-up approach, ensuring that women at the community level are direct beneficiaries.
“This is not just a rally. It is a movement that will outlive us and redefine how we empower women in Nigeria. We are building a system where empowerment starts from the ward and reaches every home,” she said.
She further noted that over 3,000 volunteers have already joined the mobilisation effort, with all women groups across the country encouraged to participate in the initiative.
In her remarks, the Chairman of the Media Committee for the event, Hon Dr. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, described the initiative as a unifying platform for Nigerian women, urging collective participation beyond political or social divides.
Similarly, the Chairman of the Organising Committee and APC Deputy National Women Leader, Hajiya Zainab Abubakar Ibrahim, assured that adequate arrangements have been made for the Abuja rally, including safety and logistics planning, stressing that the capacity of the stadium will not be exceeded.
She reiterated that the movement is designed for sustainability, not a one-off event, and will continue to drive women’s empowerment across communities.
The First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, is expected to attend the event as Special Guest of Honour, alongside other stakeholders in the women empowerment ecosystem.
Organisers said the “Power of 10 Million” initiative represented one of the most ambitious women-centred empowerment programmes in Nigeria’s recent history, with a vision to drive inclusion, economic participation, and long-term community transformation through structured grassroots engagement.
