The Aliko Dangote Foundation has announced a N4.2-billion ($10.2 million) grant disbursement for female empowerment in rural communities in Nigeria.
The disbursement is part of the foundation’s one-off unconditional micro-grant program, which is aimed at supporting state efforts to empower low-income families.
Group Executive Director, Government and Strategic Relations of Dangote Group Mansur Ahmed said N200 million ($487,176) is currently being disbursed to vulnerable women across the 20 local government areas in Bauchi State, Proshareng reported.
Each woman would receive a N10,000 ($24.35) loan.
“The micro-grants program is one component of the economic empowerment pillar of the Aliko Dangote Foundation,” Ahmed said. “It provides disadvantaged and vulnerable women with a one-off, unconditional N10,000.00 cash transfer to boost their household income generation. This we believe will help reduce their vulnerability and meet their livelihood needs.”
He mentioned that the foundation is prepared to disburse N10 billion ($26.4 million) to vulnerable women in the 774 local government areas in the country. So far, more than 400,000 poor women have benefited from the program, he said.
Nigerian states that have already benefitted from the scheme include Lagos, Kano, Jigawa, Kogi, Adamawa, Borno, Yobe, Niger, Nasarawa, Sokoto, Katsina and Kwara.
Underprivileged women are still set to benefit in Osun, Edo, Ogun, Rivers, Anambra and Ebonyi.
The Aliko Dangote Foundation is the private charitable foundation of Africa’s wealthiest man, Aliko Dangote. The foundation was incorporated in 1994 as the Dangote Foundation, with the aim of enhancing opportunities for social change through strategic investments that improve health and wellbeing, promote quality education and broaden economic empowerment opportunities.
The foundation is the corporate social responsibility arm of the Dangote Group. It is responsible for contributing over $100 million in charitable funds in Nigeria and Africa.
