Federal government has unveiled a new digital platform to connect millions of women to finance, skills training, and market opportunities, in what officials call the country’s largest technology-driven women’s inclusion initiative to date.

The Happy Woman App Platform, which was unveiled at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, would serve as a single interface for women to access funding facilities, business development support, governmental initiatives, and critical services.

The digital drive comes as Nigeria grapples with expanding gender gaps in financial access, with women much less likely than males to maintain bank accounts or obtain formal credit, limiting their capacity to grow informal enterprises they primarily run.

Yet women remain central to the economy, accounting for a large share of micro and small enterprises that contribute nearly half of the country’s GDP.

According to the Social Institutions and Gender Index, only about 35 percent of Nigerian women have a bank account at a financial institution, compared with 55 percent of men, underscoring the depth of persistent financial exclusion and the urgency of targeted interventions.

The launch coincided with the expansion of the Nigeria for Women Programme, which the administration now plans to scale nationwide to reach 25 million women.

President Bola Tinubu, represented by vice president Kashim Shettima, said the scale-up is central to Nigeria’s economic growth strategy.

“A nation that relegates its women is a nation bound for implosion,” he said, adding that women must be placed “at the centre of national planning and productivity.”

The expanded programme builds on a pilot phase in six states that reached over one million women, many organised into Women Affinity Groups to access grants, savings schemes and livelihood support.

The government says the new app will streamline beneficiary registration, payments and training, reducing leakages and improving delivery.

Lasaco Assurance Plc has received formal commitment letters from shareholders following its recent Extraordinary General Meeting, strengthening confidence in the company’s plan to raise additional capital in line with regulatory requirements and ongoing insurance sector reforms.

Speaking on the development, Ademoye Shobo, acting managing director of Lasaco Assurance Plc, said the confirmation from shareholders provides clarity and certainty as the company moves to execute its approved capital-raising strategy.

“The commitment letters from our shareholders give us the confidence to proceed with our capitalisation plans in line with the Nigerian Insurance Industry Reform Act (NIIRA) 2025 and other regulatory requirements guiding the insurance industry.

“We will leverage all available opportunities to raise the approved capital, and our existing shareholders should watch out for our rights issue as part of the process,”  Shobo said.

With shareholders’ backing now formally documented, Lasaco Assurance Plc plans to actively pursue available funding options to deliver the approved capital raise. The company plans to deploy a mix of market-based instruments, including a rights issue and other permissible fundraising structures, to ensure timely and effective capital mobilisation.

The Management noted that the commitment letters reinforce investor confidence in the company’s growth strategy, governance framework, and long-term outlook. The capital raise is expected to support balance sheet strengthening, improve underwriting capacity, and provide greater flexibility for business expansion across core insurance segments.

As part of the process, existing shareholders have been advised to watch out for the forthcoming rights issue, which will provide them with the opportunity to participate proportionately in capital expansion. The company reaffirmed its intention to ensure transparency and regulatory compliance throughout the fundraising exercise.

Lasaco Assurance Plc views the capitalization drive as a strategic step toward sustaining competitiveness, enhancing risk-bearing capacity, and positioning the company for future growth within Nigeria’s insurance market. The initiative also aligns with broader industry efforts aimed at strengthening the company’s financial resilience and protecting policyholders’ interests.

Ecobank Nigeria is set to host the second edition of its Customer Forum, at the Ecobank Pan-African Centre, Ozumba Mbadiwe Avenue, Victoria Island, Lagos.

The forum, organised by the bank’s Fixed Income, Currencies and Commodities (FICC) Business (Treasury), is themed ‘Strengthening Regional Integration for Economic Transformation.’

It is designed to examine critical issues shaping Nigeria’s and Africa’s economic outlook in 2026, with particular focus on trade, financial markets, foreign exchange liquidity and regional integration, especially as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement enters a strategic phase of implementation.

Announcing the event in Lagos, the Regional Treasurer, Ecobank Nigeria Limited, Olumide Adebayo, said the one-day programme reinforces the bank’s role as a trusted financial partner and customer-focused institution, with intention to foster dialogue, support informed decision-making and deeper regional economic integration across Africa.

According to him, the programme will open with welcome remarks by the Managing Director/Regional Executive, Ecobank Nigeria, Mr. Bolaji Lawal, who will underscore the bank’s commitment to supporting customers and driving inclusive growth through strategic dialogue, innovation and pan-African collaboration.

The keynote address, titled ‘The Future of Trade in Africa: Harnessing the AfCFTA for Economic Transformation,’ will be delivered by the Group Chief Economist & Managing Director, Research and Trade Intelligence, African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), Dr. Yemi Kale.

His address will provide insights into Africa’s trade prospects and the transformative potential of the AfCFTA.

The forum will feature two high-level panel discussions: balancing the Risk between Interest Rate and Exchange Rate: Business Expectations and Outlook in 2026 and Export Proceeds, Oil Receipts and Remittances in 2026: Exploring Options that Best Support FX Liquidity and Flows in Nigeria.

The event would be moderated by Messrs. Aruoture Oddiri, Host and Producer of Global Business Report on Arise News and Barnabas Vajeh of Ecobank Nigeria Limited.

Ecobank Nigeria is a member of the Ecobank Group, the leading pan-African banking institution with operations in 33 African countries and international offices in London, Paris, Beijing and Dubai.

With over 220 branches, more than 36,000 agency banking locations, and robust digital platforms, Ecobank delivers accessible, affordable, and instant banking services. The bank is strategically positioned to support pan-African trade, particularly under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).