Akwa Ibom to Empower 110,000 Women Across 31 LGAs

The Akwa Ibom State Government has announced plans to empower 110,000 women across the state’s 31 Local Government Areas through cooperative societies in October 2026.

Governor Umo Eno disclosed the plan on Thursday in Uyo during the launch of the Federal Government’s rural women empowerment initiative and the distribution of Liquefied Petroleum Gas cylinders to selected households.

Eno said women’s empowerment remained a major priority of his administration and an important part of its ARISE Agenda.

He explained that at least 300 women would be selected from each ward across the state to benefit from the programme.

The governor also commended the Federal Government for extending its LPG distribution initiative to Akwa Ibom, with 27,000 households expected to benefit from the programme.

According to him, the state’s empowerment scheme is intended to complement the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Initiative, which provides financial assistance to women to establish and expand businesses.

Eno said empowering women would have a wider impact on families, communities and the local economy because women often use available resources to improve the welfare of their households.

He explained that the LPG programme was not simply about distributing cooking gas cylinders but also about improving living conditions, protecting the environment and creating economic opportunities for thousands of households.

The governor described gas as an important driver of industrialisation, job creation and the growth of small and medium-sized businesses.

He said Akwa Ibom was positioning itself not only as a major gas-producing state but also as a destination for investments across the gas value chain.

He encouraged investors to explore opportunities in areas such as LPG production, cylinder manufacturing and maintenance, gas storage, transportation, logistics, clean cooking solutions, gas processing, petrochemicals and gas-based manufacturing.

Eno assured potential investors that his administration would continue to provide an enabling business environment through improved infrastructure, transparent governance and partnerships with the private sector.

He further noted that increased access to cleaner cooking gas could reduce household energy costs while improving health outcomes and protecting women and children from the dangers associated with traditional cooking fuels.

Speaking at the event, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, said the occasion marked the launch of two major Federal Government interventions in Akwa Ibom.

These include the rural women empowerment initiative focused on entrepreneurship development and the state’s partnership under the Decade of Gas National Grassroots LPG Penetration Programme, through which LPG cylinders would be distributed to beneficiaries.

Ekpo said the initiatives were designed to promote women’s dignity, safety, economic independence and overall wellbeing as part of the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope agenda.

He also stressed the importance of linking women’s empowerment with access to clean cooking energy, noting that both initiatives begin at the household level but can generate broader benefits for families, businesses and communities.

The minister commended President Bola Tinubu for prioritising women’s empowerment and clean energy as part of the Federal Government’s broader development strategy.

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