NAWOJ Empowers Market Women in FCT, Pledges Support for Staircase Construction to Improve Mobility

By Iyojo Ameh

The National Chairperson of the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Hajia Aisha Ibrahim Bura, has commended NAWOJ FCT for deepening grassroots advocacy, describing its recent marketplace outreach as a purposeful and impactful intervention targeting women at the community level.

Hajia Bura gave the commendation during a sensitisation and empowerment programme held at Wuse Market, Abuja, organised by NAWOJ FCT in collaboration with development partners.

She urged market women to prioritise their health and actively engage in leadership processes, especially as Nigeria approaches the 2027 general elections, noting that women must move beyond the margins of political participation.

According to her, the time has come for women to assert themselves in governance and decision-making structures.

“No more silence on gender-based violence. No more ignorance about health and reproductive rights. No more exclusion from economic opportunities across the value chain. And certainly, no more absence of women in leadership as we approach the 2027 elections,” she said.

Earlier, the Chairperson of NAWOJ FCT, Comrade Bassey Ita Ikpang, said the initiative was designed to take advocacy, information, and life-saving awareness directly to grassroots women.

“As women journalists, we do more than report issues—we advocate and drive change. That is why we are focusing on vaccine awareness, women’s rights and empowerment, reproductive health, and political participation,” she said.

Comrade Ikpang also encouraged women to speak up against abuse and seek help when necessary, stressing that women must prioritise their wellbeing and survival in all circumstances.

Speaking at the event, the Executive Director of Vaccine Network, Dr. Chika Offor, addressed widespread misconceptions about immunisation, particularly the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine. She urged mothers to ensure full immunisation of their children, stressing that vaccines remain critical in preventing avoidable diseases.

In his presentation, Dr. Ejike Oji highlighted reproductive health challenges and advocated for greater participation of women in the “5 Million Women Database” initiative. He explained that the platform is designed to expand access to healthcare, telemedicine, skills acquisition, and economic empowerment opportunities for women, particularly those in the informal sector.

He reaffirmed his organisation’s commitment to building a digital support ecosystem that enhances women’s livelihoods, visibility, and access to essential services.

In a keynote address delivered on its behalf, the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC) spoke on the theme, “Women Access to Raw Material Value Chains: A Pathway to Economic Empowerment, Inclusive Growth, and National Development.”

The Council commended NAWOJ for bridging policy conversations with grassroots realities, noting that markets remain central to Nigeria’s economic life.

It observed that despite Nigeria’s vast raw material resources—including cassava, cotton, shea butter, sesame seeds, and solid minerals—women remain largely concentrated at the lowest and least profitable segments of the value chain.

The statement stressed that expanding women’s access to raw material value chains is essential for inclusive growth, adding that when women are economically empowered, families become stronger, communities prosper, and national development accelerates.

Some of the participating market women commended NAWOJ and its partners for the outreach, noting that it had improved their understanding of reproductive health, immunisation, and civic participation ahead of the 2027 elections.

They pledged to support credible candidates regardless of party affiliation and called for free, fair, transparent, and inclusive electoral processes.

The NAWOJ National Chairperson also reaffirmed the association’s commitment to grassroots development, including plans to support infrastructure upgrades that will ease mobility within the market, particularly through the construction of a staircase to improve access for women traders.