The Lagos State Government has provided support for 733 widows as part of efforts to improve their welfare, protect their rights and create opportunities for sustainable livelihoods.
According to a Friday statement uploaded by the state government on its official handles, the intervention was announced on Wednesday during the 2026 International Widows Day commemoration organised by the state Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation in Lagos.
The event, themed “Justice, Dignity and Economic Power for Widows”, focused on improving widows’ access to justice, protection and economic opportunities.
Speaking at the programme, the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Bolaji Dada, said government support for widows should extend beyond financial assistance.
“Support for widows must go beyond sympathy. It must include access to justice, protection from discrimination and harmful practices, as well as opportunities that enable them to become economically independent,” she said.
Dada said the ministry had continued to support women through skills acquisition, grants, enterprise support and livelihood programmes.
She listed the ministry’s tuition-free Skills Acquisition Centres across the five IBILE divisions, the Micro Enterprise Support Initiative, which provides productive equipment to entrepreneurs, and the Life Skills Economic Empowerment Programme.
“These interventions are guided by a simple principle: support should create opportunity, and opportunity should lead to greater self-reliance,” Dada said.
The commissioner urged society to look beyond the loss experienced by widows and recognise their abilities and potential.
“A widow should not be defined by her loss. She should be seen as a woman with abilities, experience, aspirations and the capacity to contribute meaningfully to her family and society,” she said.
Dada also called for stronger collaboration among government agencies, civil society organisations, communities and other stakeholders to protect widows from discrimination and harmful practices.
She urged the media to give greater attention to the resilience and achievements of widows.
“The stories of widows should not only be told from the perspective of their challenges. We must also tell stories of their strength, enterprise, achievements and contributions to their families and communities,” she said.
The commissioner encouraged widows to take advantage of the state’s empowerment programmes, saying their present circumstances should not determine their future.
“Your circumstances may have changed, but your abilities and potential remain valuable. Do not allow your present situation to define your future,” Dada added.
Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Idayat Baiyewu thanked the state government and the ministry for their continued attention to the welfare of widows.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Rianat Onigbanjo, said widows deserved opportunities that would protect their rights, restore their confidence and enable them to become economically independent.
She described support for widows as a shared responsibility involving government, families, communities, civil society organisations and the media.
Onigbanjo also commended Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for supporting programmes targeting women and vulnerable groups across the state.
