BY SUNDAY AKINTOYE
As part of celebration marking the 2026 International Women’s Day and at an event held at the Alliance Française de Lagos, Mike Adenuga Centre in Ikoyi, Lagos, the Embassy of France in Nigeria says it has empowered Nigerian women and girls through various entrepreneurship programmes.
With collaboration with some Nigerian Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), such as the Hopesalive Initiative for Africa (HAI) owned by His Imperial Majesty, Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan-Ogunwusi and HUFFPED among others, the French Embassy in Nigeria through the French Embassy Fund for Civil Society Organizations(FEC-OSC) programmes, it has supported projects across 16 Nigerian states.
The Consul General of the French Consulate in Lagos, Ambassador Laurent Favier told a gathering of stakeholders,who included guests from the diplomatic community, government officials, traditional chiefs, the CSOs, business and the media, that to celebrate the IWD 2026, the Embassy launched the Art X Impact Campaign, which is the collaboration between local artists, civil society organisations and local influencers, resulted in the production of paintings, songs, sculptures, murals, and dance, conveying messages of sensitisation on gender equality.
Ambassador Favier disclosed that FEC-OSC programmes designed in close relationship with Nigerian Civil Society Organizations and the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs has supported 21 projects across 16 states.
According to him, these projects address critical areas including economic empowerment, climate resilience, peace building and gender-based violence prevention.
Favier said the FEC-OSC programme, a flagship initiative dedicated to promoting gender equality and the economic empowerment of women and girls across Nigeria
Launched as part of France’s feminist diplomacy, the FEF-OSC is an achievement showing the power of co-construction and local ownership, demonstrating that community-driven solutions yield high impact and extraordinary social returns.
He also revealed that beyond funding the FEF-OSC is fundamentally a civil society strengthening programme through dedicated capacity building, while Civil Society Organizations CSO achieved 92 percent of average learning retention rate, leading to tangible improvements in project management, data collection and advocacy.
To the French diplomat, FEC-OSC reflects France’s foreign policy, prioritizing a partnership model, rooted in mutual benefits and co-construction as well as placing local leadership and the rights of women and girls at the heart of its policies.
The Consul General also commended the robust diplomatic relationship between his country and Nigeria. This relationship, according to him, is vibrant and growing to the benefit of both countries.
One of the beneficiaries, Rebecca Achi from Hopesalive Initiative for Africa, expressed profound gratitude to the French Embassy for the empowerment programme, adding that “today, through this programme, I am working towards becoming a software engineer, and for me to become a woman who will empower other women.”
Achi, a beneficiary of the She Elevates Tech organized last year by the Hopesalive Initiative for Africa.
