Rural women in Great Sheda Community of Kwali Area Council, Abuja, have received a major economic boost following the inauguration of a modern agro-processing centre designed to ease cassava processing and expand income-generating opportunities for women farmers and processors.
The facility, established through a partnership between UN Women and the TY Danjuma Foundation, was officially launched on Monday in the community, with stakeholders describing the intervention as a significant step toward strengthening women’s economic empowerment and rural development.
At the heart of the project is a cassava peeling and grinding machine that is expected to transform the production of Akpu, a staple food that serves as a major source of livelihood for many women in the area. For years, local processors relied largely on manual methods that demanded long hours of labour and limited production capacity. The new facility is expected to reduce processing time, improve efficiency and enable women to devote more time to other productive ventures.
Speaking during the inauguration, the UN Women Representative to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Beatrice Eyong said the initiative goes beyond providing equipment, stressing that it represents an investment in the productivity and economic future of rural women.
According to her, reducing the burden associated with manual cassava processing would help women increase their earnings, pursue additional economic activities and contribute more effectively to the development of their families and communities.
Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the TY Danjuma Foundation, Hannatu Gentles, reaffirmed the foundation’s commitment to supporting underserved communities through strategic interventions in health, education and economic empowerment.
She described women as the backbone of the rural economy and expressed confidence that members of the Akpu Women Association would utilise the facility to expand their businesses and improve the welfare of their households.
Also speaking at the event, former FCT Mandate Secretary and Director-General of the Mariam Babangida Centre, Adedayo Benjamins-Laniyi, noted that access to modern processing tools would not only improve cassava production but also strengthen food security, stimulate economic growth and enhance community resilience.
Residents of Great Sheda welcomed the intervention, describing it as a transformative project capable of increasing productivity, raising household incomes and stimulating economic activities across the community and neighbouring settlements.
The agro-processing centre is expected to serve women processors within Great Sheda and surrounding communities, creating opportunities for improved food processing practices, higher earnings and stronger local economic growth.
The project underscores growing efforts by development partners and philanthropic organisations to support women as key drivers of economic development, food security and sustainable community growth in rural Nigeria.
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