Abia Trade & Commerce Ministry, Partners Empower Widows and Single Mothers with Investment Training and Funding Access
Aba, 7th May 2026 – In what stakeholders described as one of the most deliberate acts of public-private collaboration this year, the Abia State Ministry of Trade and Commerce, in partnership with De Tourism World International and the Do Good Foundation for Widows and Needy Inc., convened over 200 single mothers and widow traders in Umuahia for the Investors Facilitation and Support Services Program. The initiative opened direct pathways out of poverty through structured training, mentorship, access to finance, and investor linkages designed to move women from subsistence trading into sustainable entrepreneurship.
Held under the economic transformation agenda of Governor Dr. Alex Otti, the program underscored a people-centered approach to governance that places vulnerable groups at the center of policy. Declaring the event open, the Honourable Commissioner for Trade and Commerce, Dr. Salome Nkemakolam Obiukwu, said the gathering was “not merely an event, but a strong statement of compassion, economic inclusion, social justice, and sustainable empowerment.”
She praised the resilience of Abia’s women traders, noting that across markets in Aba, Umuahia, Ohafia, Arochukwu, Bende, Ukwa, and Isiala Ngwa, women dominate the commercial activities that sustain families and communities. Yet, she acknowledged, many single mothers and widows face systemic barriers: limited access to credit, poor business support systems, inadequate market information, lack of formal registration, multiple taxation, and exclusion from investor networks.
To bridge these gaps, the Ministry rolled out a multi-pronged intervention. This includes simplified business formalization and registration support, stronger linkages to microfinance institutions and cooperative societies, and targeted training in financial management, customer relations, digital commerce, branding, record keeping, and market expansion. The Ministry also committed to attracting investors and creating structured platforms where local traders can connect to manufacturers, distributors, and export opportunities.
Dr. Obiukwu stressed that government cannot achieve inclusive growth alone. “I call on financial institutions, private investors, development agencies, NGOs, corporate organizations, and successful entrepreneurs to support initiatives targeted at empowering vulnerable women traders across the State,” she said. She closed by affirming, “No hardworking Abian will be left behind,” signaling Abia’s ambition to become a destination for enterprise, innovation, manufacturing, and responsible investment.
The commitment and sacrifice required to bring the program to fruition were evident in the partnership model. Mr. Solomon Uwakwe, Founder and Executive Director of De Tourism World International, who delivered the keynote, explained that the collaboration deliberately selected low-capital, high-demand products that beneficiaries could start quickly and scale over time.
“Investment facilitation and business support training is about giving people the tools to take control of their lives, careers, and opportunities for sustainable livelihoods,” Uwakwe said. He noted that beyond technical training, the programme provided micro-capital linkages, financial literacy, and emotional and networking support to help women build resilience and confidence. Uwakwe commended the Abia State Government for creating an enabling environment and lauded Major Iheanyichukwu Sunday’s Do Good Foundation for Widows and Needy Inc. for its grassroots mobilization and on-the-ground support.
Major Sunday’s foundation, known for its sustained work with widows and indigent families, played a pivotal role in identifying beneficiaries, providing counseling, and ensuring that the most marginalized women had a seat at the table. The joint effort meant participants left not only with new business knowledge, but with a network and a sense of dignity and belonging.
Organizers said the immediate outcome is the creation of income opportunities for hundreds of women, with a longer-term goal of building a pipeline of women-led businesses that can integrate into regional and national supply chains. The impact, they noted, extends beyond economics: empowered women are better able to feed their families, pay for children’s education, resist exploitation, and contribute to community development.
Organizers said the program would create immediate income opportunities for the 30 empowered beneficiaries while laying the groundwork for longer-term investment partnerships for the wider group. Beyond financial gain, the initiative aims to reduce exploitation, improve family welfare, and increase women’s participation in Abia’s economic transformation. As Dr. Obiukwu declared the programme open, she affirmed that “no hardworking Abian will be left behind,” signaling a broader push to make Abia a destination for enterprise, innovation, and responsible investment.
As the program concluded, the message from all partners was consistent: economic empowerment is the most effective tool for reducing poverty and restoring dignity. For Abia, it marked another step toward a future where opportunity is accessible to all, businesses flourish, and no woman is left behind because of circumstance.
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