The Federal Government and the Sokoto State Government have jointly disbursed grants worth sixty-four million Naira to support persons living with disabilities in the state as the world commemorated the 2025 International Day of Persons with Disabilities.
Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Bola Tinubu, through her Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI), presented fifty million naira to beneficiaries in Sokoto State as part of a nationwide empowerment programme.
Represented by the wife of the Sokoto State Governor, Hajiya Fatima Ahmed Aliyu, the First Lady said the gesture, implemented across the thirty-six states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, is aimed at empowering persons with disabilities to become self-reliant.
She explained that under the RHI scheme, about two hundred and fifty persons with disabilities from each state are receiving two hundred thousand naira each as grants, bringing the total number of beneficiaries across the country to nine thousand five hundred, with a combined value of one point nine billion naira.
“It is worth noting that over the past two years, the Renewed Hope Initiative has supported more than one hundred thousand women, petty traders, and small business owners, including persons living with disabilities, with direct financial grants to grow their businesses,” she said.
Senator Tinubu added that the initiative’s interventions have covered several sectors including agriculture, economic empowerment, education, health, and social welfare. She further noted that the programme has extended support to victims of communal clashes, disaster survivors, widows, and orphans of fallen heroes, while providing food assistance to twenty-two states and the FCT, including internally displaced persons and other vulnerable groups.
The First Lady commended Governor Ahmed Aliyu for his continuous support to persons living with disabilities in Sokoto State.
In her remarks, Hajiya Fatima Ahmed Aliyu announced an additional two million naira donation to each of seven associations of persons with disabilities in the state as part of ongoing efforts to empower their members.
Earlier, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Disability Matters, Umar Muhammad Sabon Birni, revealed that the state government had increased the monthly stipends for persons with disabilities from six thousand five hundred nairato ten thousand naira. He said six thousand, six hundred and seventy-nine registered beneficiaries currently receive the allowance, with plans underway to register more.
He added that the Ahmed Aliyu-led administration has provided Ramadan feeding centres for persons with disabilities during the holy month and has fulfilled its pledge to distribute one thousand hand cycles to persons with disabilities across the state.
Also speaking, Sultan Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar commended Governor Ahmed Aliyu for implementing numerous people-oriented projects in the state. Represented by Ubandoman Arkilla, Alhaji Aliyu Hassan, the Sultan pledged the continued support of the Sultanate Council to the administration’s programmes and initiatives.
Highlights of the event included a para soccer match between the teams of the Governor and his wife, in which the First Lady’s team won by two goals to one. The Sokoto Para Soccer Team also presented a trophy to the Governor’s wife, which they won in a recent regional competition involving teams from Sokoto, Kebbi, and Zamfara States.
The information was contained in a statement issued by the Director General, Media and Publicity, Government House, Sokoto, Abubakar Bawa.
December 4, 2025
