President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has launched a landmark grassroots-focused initiative designed to tackle poverty and accelerate economic growth across Nigeria’s 8,809 political wards.
The new initiative, named the Renewed Hope Ward Development Programme (RHWDP), was officially adopted during the 150th National Economic Council (NEC) meeting held Thursday at the State House in Abuja.
A key component of President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which aims to position Nigeria as a $1 trillion economy by 2030, the RHWDP is structured to deliver coordinated interventions in critical areas such as poverty alleviation, food security, rural infrastructure, energy access, and employment creation.
Speaking at the NEC meeting attended by state governors, President Tinubu emphasized the need for urgent and sustained action to improve the lives of Nigerians at the grassroots.
> “Let us change the story of our people in the rural areas,” he said. “The economy is working. We are on the path of recovery, but we need to stimulate growth in the rural areas.”
The RHWDP will empower each political ward to host between 1,000 and 2,000 economic activities, tailored to their specific needs and capacities. A National Steering Committee will oversee the programme’s rollout, with the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning acting as the coordinating secretariat.
Presenting the programme to the Council, the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, noted that implementation will involve collaboration among federal, state, and local governments to ensure maximum impact.
As part of measures to enhance the programme’s success, President Tinubu announced the relocation of the Office of the Surveyor-General of the Federation to the presidency for better alignment with national planning goals.
In addition, the President ordered an expansion of the national school feeding programme, aimed at boosting school enrolment rates and addressing child poverty across rural communities.
The Renewed Hope Ward Development Programme marks a significant shift in Nigeria’s approach to inclusive development and sets a bold foundation for grassroots transformation in the years ahead.
