How To Join The Nigeria For Women Programme: A Simple Guide For Eligible Women

The Federal Government, in partnership with the World Bank, has expanded the Nigeria for Women Programme (NFWP / NFWP-SU) to reach millions more women across the country. The goal is to organise women into hundreds of thousands of groups and support improved livelihoods through skills training, savings, financial inclusion, and productive assets—not one-off cash handouts.

What the Programme Offers

Women Affinity Groups (WAGs) form the foundation. These self-selected groups of 15–25 women serve as platforms for:

• Collective savings and internal lending
• Entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and technical skills training
• Access to livelihood support (grants or income-generating assets)
• Greater household decision-making power and community resilience

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The scale-up builds on a successful pilot that reached hundreds of thousands of women who collectively saved billions of naira and accessed livelihood grants.

Who Can Participate?

• Women aged 18 and above
• Economically active at a small-scale or subsistence level (trading, farming, food processing, tailoring, hairdressing, artisan work, etc.)
• Residents of participating rural or semi-urban communities/LGAs
• Willing to join or form a WAG and take part in meetings, savings, and training

Participation is completely free. No registration fees are required.

How to Apply / Join

There is no central individual online application for the core programme benefits. Entry happens at the community level:

1. Contact your local Ward Leader/Facilitator, Local Field Supervisor, LGA project officers, or State Project Coordinating Unit (SPCU). Community and religious leaders or Women Affairs offices can also guide you.
2. Join an existing Women Affinity Group or help form a new one with other eligible women in your area.
3. Participate actively in training, group savings, and assessments. Livelihood support follows once groups meet programme milestones.

Coverage is expanding nationwide in phases. Confirm whether your LGA is currently active through local contacts or the official website.

Official Resources

Website: https://nfwp.gov.ng

Contact the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development or your state SPCU for local details.

A complementary digital platform, the Happy Woman App (https://happywoman.ng), connects women more broadly to finance, skills, markets, and government services. It is useful but does not replace joining a WAG for core NFWP support.

Important Note

Beware of scams. Legitimate participation never requires payment. Always verify information through official community facilitators or government channels.

If you meet the criteria, start by reaching out to local leaders or your LGA Women Affairs office today. Organised women groups are the proven pathway to lasting economic empowerment under this programme.