The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to protecting widows from discrimination, harmful traditional practices, and economic exclusion, while expanding opportunities for their empowerment and social inclusion across the country.
According to an official signed statement by the Honourable Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hon. Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, fsi, issued to commemorate the 2026 International Widows’ Day, the government remains dedicated to ensuring justice, dignity, and economic power for widows in line with this year’s theme, “Justice, Dignity and Economic Power for Widows.”
The Minister noted that widowhood should never translate into poverty, exclusion, or despair, stressing that many widows continue to face challenges such as loss of inheritance, economic insecurity, social stigma, and the burden of raising families alone under difficult circumstances.
She condemned harmful widowhood practices still prevalent in some communities, including degrading mourning rites, forced confinement, property grabbing, disinheritance, forced remarriage, and other forms of abuse, describing them as violations of human dignity and justice.
Hon. Sulaiman-Ibrahim emphasized that such practices are criminal under the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, 2015, which prescribes penalties for offenders. She assured that the government would continue to strengthen enforcement and awareness efforts to protect widows and uphold their rights.
The Minister disclosed that Nigeria is home to over two million widows, many of whom bear the dual responsibility of caregiving and providing for their families. She said their circumstances represent a significant development challenge requiring coordinated and sustained policy interventions.
She highlighted several initiatives implemented by the Ministry to support widows under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. These include the Renewed Hope Social Impact Intervention (RHSII-774), designed to deliver empowerment, protection, and opportunities across all 774 local government areas of the country.
According to the statement, the Ministry, in collaboration with Helpline Support for the Needy, enrolled 17 clusters of widows into the National Health Insurance Scheme in 2025, improving access to affordable healthcare. The clusters also received grants of ₦500,000 each to strengthen cooperative enterprises, expand livelihoods, and support sustainable businesses.
The Minister further stated that thousands of widows have benefited from vocational training, entrepreneurship support, digital skills acquisition programmes, agricultural interventions, financial inclusion initiatives, cooperative strengthening, and psychosocial support services.
She noted that these interventions are helping many widows transition from vulnerability to productivity, fostering economic participation and self-reliance.
Hon. Sulaiman-Ibrahim also linked the commemoration to the government’s broader agenda for women’s empowerment, including the National Women Mega Empowerment and Rally themed “The Power of 10 Million: One Voice. One Movement. One Choice,” which seeks to mobilise women, including widows, towards greater inclusion and national development.
The Minister called on traditional rulers, religious leaders, development partners, civil society organisations, governments at all levels, and the private sector to intensify efforts to eliminate harmful widowhood practices, strengthen legal protections, and expand economic opportunities for widows.
She reaffirmed that under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Nigeria is working towards a future where widowhood does not result in vulnerability but serves as a platform for resilience, dignity, and economic empowerment.
