In a bold boost for women entrepreneurship in Nigeria, Dangote Cement Plc has empowered businesswomen in host communities in Benue State with cash grants, thus deepening business activities in the state.

The women empowerment programme came months after Dangote Cement in Gboko increased bursary payments to students of host communities by more than 100 per cent.

Group Head, Social Performance, Dangote Cement Plc., Wakeel Olayiwola, who spoke at the ceremony yesterday in Gboko, said:“Through this scheme, selected women entrepreneurs in host communities will receive N100,000 each to strengthen and expand their businesses.

“The financial support aims to boost local enterprise development at the grassroots level, empowering female business owners with capital to scale their operations. Each beneficiary will use the fund to address specific business needs, from purchasing inventory to upgrading equipment, creating a tangible economic impact in their communities.”

Olayiwola, who stated that the programme will “enable the women to generate more income to sustain their families and reduce women’s over-reliance on their husbands, said the money was a grant and would not be paid back to the company.

According to him, traditional leaders of Quarry, Tse-Kucha, Amua, Mbazembe, Mbatur and Pass Brothers host communities, as well as the Dangote Community Consultative Committee (DCCC), were responsible for the identification and selection of beneficiaries. He said the company would monitor the progress of the women entrepreneurs and evaluate how the money is being invested.

Also speaking, Acting Plant Director, Munusamy Murugan, said the empowerment would be a yearly event. Murugan, who was represented by Tavershima Soom, said other economic empowerment programmes lined up include the farmers’ programme and the youth skills acquisition programme, among several others.

In his remarks, Head of the Social Performance, Gboko Plant, Johnson Kor, told the community representatives that the company is doing a lot to support members of the communities, urging them to be good ambassadors of Dangote Cement Plc.

Reacting, a beneficiary, Ruth Ikyowe Tser, 37, said she would invest the money into her cassava farming business, while commending the company for the support.

Similarly, Vishigh Comfort Msurshiona, 39, said she would use the money to grow her trade in commodities.