Rural women in Great Sheda Community of Kwali Area Council, Abuja, have received a major boost to their economic activities following the inauguration of a modern agro-processing centre aimed at improving cassava processing and expanding livelihood opportunities for women farmers and processors.
The facility, established through a partnership between UN Women and the TY Danjuma Foundation, was officially commissioned on Monday, with stakeholders describing the initiative as a significant intervention in promoting women’s economic empowerment and sustainable rural development.
Central to the project is a cassava peeling and grinding machine designed to enhance the production of Akpu, a staple food and a key source of income for many women in the community. The new equipment is expected to replace labour-intensive manual processing methods, significantly reducing production time, increasing efficiency and improving output.
Speaking at the inauguration, UN Women Representative to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Beatrice Eyong, said the project represents more than the provision of machinery, noting that it is an investment in the productivity, resilience and economic future of rural women.
She explained that easing the burden of manual cassava processing would enable women to increase their earnings, diversify their economic activities and contribute more effectively to the welfare of their families and communities.
Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the TY Danjuma Foundation, Hannatu Gentles, reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to supporting underserved communities through targeted interventions in health, education and economic empowerment.
She described women as the backbone of rural economies and expressed confidence that members of the Akpu Women Association would maximise the benefits of the facility to expand their businesses and improve household livelihoods.
Also speaking, former FCT Mandate Secretary and Director-General of the Mariam Babangida Centre, Adedayo Benjamins-Laniyi, said access to modern agro-processing equipment would not only enhance cassava production but also strengthen food security, stimulate local economic growth and improve community resilience.
Community members welcomed the initiative, describing it as a transformative project capable of boosting productivity, increasing household incomes and creating wider economic opportunities within Great Sheda and neighbouring settlements.
The agro-processing centre is expected to serve women processors across the community and surrounding areas, providing access to improved food-processing technologies and supporting sustainable local economic development.
The project highlights growing efforts by development agencies and philanthropic organisations to position women at the centre of economic growth, food security and community development initiatives across rural Nigeria.
