Yayi empowers 3,000 Ogun traders with business grants

The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ogun State, Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola (Yayi), has disbursed ₦75,000 business grants to 3,000 market men and women in the Ogun Central Senatorial District as part of efforts to strengthen small businesses and stimulate grassroots economic growth.

The empowerment programme, organised in partnership with the National Productivity Centre under the Renewed Hope Agenda, is designed to improve traders’ access to capital and boost economic activities across Ogun State’s three senatorial districts. The exercise began in Ogun Central, with beneficiaries receiving the grants free of charge and without any repayment obligation.

The intervention, which marked the fifth edition of the YAYI Market Women and Men Support Fund Empowerment Programme, was held on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, at the Ake Pavilion, Ake Palace, Abeokuta.

Addressing beneficiaries, Senator Adeola said the initiative was aimed at strengthening the businesses of market women and men while cushioning the effects of prevailing economic challenges.

Describing traders as the backbone of the local economy, he urged beneficiaries to make productive use of the grants to expand their businesses and improve their livelihoods.

“Our market women and men remain the backbone of our local economy, and supporting their businesses is critical to promoting sustainable economic growth. This grant is not a loan but a direct intervention to help beneficiaries strengthen their businesses, increase their capital and improve their livelihoods. My appeal is that every beneficiary should invest the funds wisely so they can grow their businesses and create greater prosperity for their families,” he said.

Beyond direct financial support, Adeola said his interventions have also focused on improving market infrastructure through the construction of modern markets, installation of solar-powered boreholes and provision of solar streetlights across the state.

He noted that the empowerment programme has expanded steadily since its inception, beginning with 5,000 traders receiving ₦25,000 each in 2023, followed by 5,000 beneficiaries receiving ₦50,000 grants in 2024, and another 5,000 traders receiving ₦75,000 each in 2025. The current edition extends the programme to beneficiaries across the state’s three senatorial districts.

The senator also disclosed that two ultra-modern markets are under construction at Isaga-Orile in Abeokuta North Local Government Area and Panseke in Abeokuta South Local Government Area to improve trading infrastructure and stimulate commercial activities in Ogun Central.

According to him, he has facilitated the construction of 43 modern markets, alongside the installation of solar-powered boreholes and streetlights in major markets across Ogun West over the past three and a half years, with the aim of creating a more conducive environment for businesses and supporting economic development.