IBRAHIM QUADRI
Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to break barriers and dismantle discrimination in a move to ensure an environment where women can flourish.
Governor Sanwo-Olu made the remark during the Y2025 second phase of the Micro Enterprise Support Initiative (MESI) organized by the State Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, WAPA at Blue Roof, Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos.
The Governor who was represented by his wife, Dr (Mrs) Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu where 1,700 beneficiaries went home with working tools to enhance entrepreneurship in the State.
According to Sanwo-Olu, the initiative is a programme through which the government showed commitment to creating opportunities for women to thrive and to safeguard their rights.
The working tools donated include Stoning Machines, Aluminum Fabricating Machines, Sewing Machines, Hair Dressing Kits, Agricultural Items Fertilizer, Seeds, Vap Sack Sprayers, and Orange Fleshed Sweet Potato Vines and Cake Mixers.
Others are: Photography Equipment & Cameras, Two-phase Industrial Burners with Cooking Pots, Spatulas, Slotted Spoons, and Gas Cylinders, Vulcanizing Machines, POS Machines, Popcorn Machines with Gas Cylinders, Pedicure Sets, Cash Grant (for petty traders) and Pepper Grinder.
Sanwo-Olu said, “One of my greatest passions as Governor of this State is to empower our women. Over the years, I have seen first-hand that when you empower a woman, you empower a family, a community, and indeed the entire society.
Women are the foundation of homes, the drivers of small businesses, and the nurturers of future generations.
Supporting them is not just a duty; it is an investment in the collective prosperity of Lagos.
“The Micro Enterprise Support Initiative was designed with this in mind to strengthen women-owned businesses, to provide the needed capital and resources, and to give our hardworking women a pathway to financial independence.
“Today’s beneficiaries are not just receiving support; they are receiving renewed hope and an opportunity to contribute meaningfully to our State’s economic growth.
“A few months ago, in April this year, I had the privilege of gracing another MESI empowerment series right here at this very venue.
That gathering, just like today’s, underscored our unwavering determination to sustain this noble cause of uplifting our women through enterprise support.
It gives me great joy to see how far we have come and the impact this programme is already making in countless households across Lagos.
“Our administration remains unwavering in protecting the rights of women. We will continue to strengthen policies, laws, and institutions that guarantee safety, dignity, and equal opportunities for all women in Lagos State.
“This administration is intentional about breaking barriers, dismantling discrimination, and creating an enabling environment where women can flourish.”
The Governor advised the beneficiaries, saying “This support is a seed, nurture it with discipline, determination, and diligence, and you will reap abundant harvests.
Let me, however, admonish you, do not sell this equipment or misuse this opportunity. They have been given to you to change your story, to lift your families, and to contribute to your communities.
I expect you to use them productively, to build sustainable businesses, and to, in turn, empower others.”
The Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, WAPA, Mrs Bolaji Cecilia-Dada, noted the programme is a platform designed to strengthen the economic backbone of women, families, and communities across the State.
She added, “The MESI programme is one of our Ministry’s most impactful interventions, as it provides direct support to entrepreneurs and aspiring business owners through tools, starter packs, and grants.
I am proud to state that 70 percent of today’s beneficiaries are graduates of our tuition-free Skills Acquisition Centres, carefully selected to continue their journey from training into productive enterprise.
This demonstrates our commitment not just to teaching skills, but to providing the resources needed to transform those skills into sustainable businesses.
“These items are not just working tools, but gateways to dignity, productivity, and financial independence.
They represent the government’s commitment to reducing poverty and providing practical solutions to everyday economic challenges faced by women and families in Lagos State.”
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