By Laleye Dipo in Minna
The Dangote Foundation is to empower some vulnerable women in Nigeria with N10 billion. Under the programme, each woman would be advanced N10,000 to set up their businesses
Speaking at the flag off of the scheme in Minna on Thursday during which 25,000 women were given N10,000 each, the Chairman of the Foundation, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, said the pilot scheme would cover eight states of the federation which he did not name.
According to Dangote, the programme was his contribution to reducing poverty in the country and to complement government’s efforts in the empowerment of women.
“I am not doing this as the richest man in Africa, I am doing it as the biggest philanthropist in Africa,” he said.
He promised to continue to run the programme but urged the beneficiaries to judiciously utilise the money so that the objective of the programme would be achieved.
The Niger State Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello, speaking at the event held at the Justice Idris Legbo Kutigi International Conference Centre, Minna appreciated the gesture of Dangote for touching the lives of ordinary Nigerians, especially women.
Governor Bello said his administration would continue to partner with the Dangote Foundation so that it would realise its objective.