Women’s Economic Empowerment: Unlocking Benue’s Untapped Potential
- Akutah Think Tank
- Mar 17
- 4 min read
By Tyover Gum
Introduction
Across Benue State, women wake before sunrise.
They prepare meals for their families, walk long distances to farms, manage market stalls, process agricultural produce, and support the education of their children. In many communities, women are the quiet architects of economic survival.
Yet despite their enormous contribution to society, their economic potential remains significantly underutilized.
From farming and food processing to retail trade and entrepreneurship, women drive a large portion of Benue’s informal economy. However, they often face structural barriers that limit their ability to expand their enterprises.
Limited access to finance.Restricted access to land ownership.Lack of formal business support systems.
These barriers prevent thousands of capable women from transforming their hard work into sustainable prosperity.
Unlocking the economic potential of women is therefore not only a matter of social justice—it is a powerful strategy for economic development.
This conviction lies at the heart of the forward-looking development vision promoted by the PAG27 Movement and its reform-driven leader Dr. Pius Ukeyima Akutah, who believes that empowering women entrepreneurs is essential for building a stronger and more inclusive Benue economy.
Understanding the Issue
Women play a significant role in Nigeria’s economy, particularly in agriculture and small-scale enterprise.
According to data from international development organizations, women contribute nearly 40% of agricultural labor in Nigeria. In many rural communities, they are responsible for planting, harvesting, processing, and selling food products.
Despite this contribution, women entrepreneurs face a significant financing gap.
Reports by the World Bank and other development institutions show that female-owned businesses in developing economies often receive far less investment than male-owned enterprises.
This imbalance is not due to lack of talent or ambition. Instead, it reflects structural limitations such as:
• limited collateral for loans• cultural restrictions around land ownership• limited business networks• inadequate access to training and mentorship
The result is a lost opportunity for economic growth.
When women lack access to capital and resources, businesses that could employ dozens of people remain small or disappear altogether.
Why This Matters for Benue
For Benue State, empowering women economically could unlock one of the most powerful engines of development.
The state’s economy relies heavily on agriculture, small-scale trade, and food processing—all sectors where women are deeply involved.
In many markets across Makurdi, Gboko, Otukpo, Katsina-Ala, and other communities, women dominate trading activities.
They sell farm produce.
They process cassava into garri.
They operate local restaurants and small retail shops.
These activities form the backbone of the local economy.
Yet if these enterprises were supported with modern tools, financing, and market access, their economic impact could expand dramatically.
Women-led enterprises have been shown globally to produce strong social benefits.
When women earn income:
Children’s education improves.
Family health outcomes improve.
Household poverty decreases.
Community stability increases.
Empowering women therefore produces ripple effects that strengthen entire communities.
The PAG27 Vision
The PAG27 Movement recognizes that inclusive development requires empowering every segment of society—including women entrepreneurs.
Under the leadership vision of Dr. Pius Ukeyima Akutah, economic policies must actively support women’s participation in entrepreneurship, agriculture, and enterprise development.
The PAG27 approach focuses on three major priorities.
Expanding Economic Opportunities
Women must have access to the same economic opportunities as men.
This includes access to financing, training programs, and business support services.
Strengthening Cooperative Models
Women’s cooperatives can significantly expand economic productivity.
When entrepreneurs collaborate through cooperatives, they gain access to shared resources, larger markets, and collective bargaining power.
Supporting Women-Led Value Chains
Agriculture offers enormous opportunities for women entrepreneurs.
Programs that support women in food processing, packaging, and distribution can dramatically increase rural incomes.
By strengthening these value chains, women become central drivers of economic transformation.
Practical Solutions
Transforming women’s economic participation in Benue requires practical and coordinated initiatives.
Women Cooperative Development Programs
Organized cooperatives allow women to pool resources, access financing, and negotiate better market prices.
These cooperatives can support activities such as:
• cassava processing• rice milling• vegetable production• food packaging enterprises
Microfinance and Credit Access
Targeted microfinance initiatives can provide capital to women entrepreneurs who lack traditional collateral.
Small loans can enable women to expand their businesses, purchase equipment, and employ workers.
Agricultural Value-Addition Initiatives
Supporting women in agricultural processing can transform raw farm produce into high-value products.
Examples include:
• cassava flour production• tomato processing• shea butter processing• packaged food production
These activities create jobs and increase incomes.
Business Skills Training
Entrepreneurship training programs can help women develop skills in:
• financial management• digital marketing• product development• business planning
Knowledge is one of the most powerful tools for economic empowerment.
Market Access and Infrastructure
Improving rural market infrastructure and transportation networks allows women entrepreneurs to access larger markets and reduce post-harvest losses.
The Role of Citizens
Women’s empowerment cannot be achieved through policy alone.
Communities must support the participation of women in economic life.
Families should encourage women to pursue entrepreneurial opportunities.
Young women should be supported in education and skill development.
Men must become partners in promoting economic inclusion.
Community organizations can support women cooperatives and mentorship networks.
When communities support women entrepreneurs, entire local economies become stronger.
Conclusion
Benue State stands at a moment of opportunity.
By investing in women’s economic empowerment, the state can unlock one of its most powerful drivers of growth.
Women entrepreneurs already demonstrate resilience, creativity, and determination in their daily activities.
With access to resources, financing, and supportive policies, their impact could multiply many times over.
The future of Benue’s economy will not be built by institutions alone.
It will be built by farmers, traders, innovators, and entrepreneurs—many of whom are women whose potential has yet to be fully realized.
Under the reform-driven vision of Dr. Pius Ukeyima Akutah and the PAG27 Movement, empowering women is not simply a development goal.
It is a strategy for building a more prosperous, inclusive, and resilient Benue State.
When women succeed, communities thrive.
And when communities thrive, the future of Benue becomes brighter for everyone.
Internal Links (PAG27.org)
External References
World Bank – Women, Business and the Lawhttps://www.worldbank.org
National Bureau of Statistics Nigeriahttps://www.nigerianstat.gov.ng
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