First Lady Supports 500 Market Women in Cross River with Business Grants

Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has helped 500 market women, artisans, and small traders in Cross River State. This support came through the Women Mobilisation Directorate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council. The event took place in Calabar and is part of the directorate’s efforts to engage with communities ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Dr. Betta Edu, Co-Director of the Women Mobilisation Directorate, led the initiative. The women received cash grants and tools to help grow their businesses and improve their lives. Items given included deep freezers, blenders, and toasters, along with cash amounts that reached up to N50,000 for some traders.

Edu noted that many of the women had been working with very little capital, as low as N5,000 or N10,000. She emphasized that this financial support would help them expand their businesses and enhance their families’ living conditions. She also mentioned other support programs from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, such as a student loan scheme and free healthcare for pregnant women.

The APC women’s team plans to continue this empowerment program in other areas of Cross River State, with upcoming events scheduled for Ugep and the Northern Senatorial District in the coming months.

In addition to the business support, the team visited the General Hospital in Calabar, where they provided care packages and paid medical expenses for vulnerable patients. The hospital administrator, Mrs. Bassey Effiong Ephraim, expressed gratitude for the assistance and mentioned ongoing efforts to hire more medical staff to improve healthcare services.

One beneficiary, Mrs. Esther Bassey, a widow and mother of three, praised the program for helping families like hers maintain their livelihoods. The outreach also included a meeting with APC women leaders, who were encouraged to mobilize support for the party ahead of the elections. The wife of the Cross River State Governor urged the women to rally their communities and secure votes for President Tinubu and other APC candidates.