Stanbic IBTC Bank PLC, a subsidiary of Stanbic IBTC Holdings PLC, has partnered the United Nations (UN) on an initiative to provide seed funding for women across the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria and the Federal Capital Territory. In a statement, the lender said the move was in furtherance of its commitment to enhancing food security and providing employment for women in Nigeria across the agricultural value chain. According to the statement, “The UN initiative, tagged “The UN Women Project,” was borne out of the need to provide economic empowerment for women and close the gender gap in agricultural productivity and incomes while increasing their access to resources and markets.
“With a total budget of $40 million for five years from 2019 to 2023, the initia-tive targets six states namely Ogun, Ebonyi, Cross River, Niger, Bauchi and Sokoto, as well as the FCT.” The statement also noted that in line with the objectives of Federal Government’s Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP 2016-2020), the UN collaborated with three of its sister agencies which are the Food and Agriculture Organisation, International Labour Organisation and United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO).
