From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
First Lady of Nigeria Oluremi Tinubu has identified the empowerment of rural women as key to strengthening food security, improving household welfare and accelerating national development.
Tinubu made the assertion in a message marking the 2026 International Day of Rural Women, observed on Thursday, 15 October.
She said rural women were central to agricultural production and rural economies, contributing to family welfare, local markets and community development.
“On this International Day of Rural Women 2026, we celebrate the resilience, dedication, and contributions of rural women to agriculture, food security, economic growth, and community development,” she said.
The First Lady said the observance was significant because it coincided with the International Year of the Woman Farmer, providing an opportunity to highlight women’s role in food systems and rural economies.
She called for targeted investments to improve rural women’s access to land, finance, training, modern technology and markets.
Tinubu said such interventions would raise household incomes, strengthen local economies and support national growth.
“When rural women are empowered, families prosper, communities flourish and nations grow stronger,” she said.
The International Day of Rural Women is marked annually on 15 October to recognise their contributions to agriculture, food production and rural livelihoods, while highlighting inequalities in access to productive resources and economic opportunities.