Nestlé Nigeria has marked the fifth anniversary and 10th edition of its Empowering Rural Women Initiative by supporting 50 women retailers in Zaria, Kaduna State, with practical business training and grants in the form of Nestlé products valued at three times their existing stock.

The intervention also marked the beginning of a three-month mentorship period designed to help the women apply their training, manage the additional stock effectively and build stronger, more sustainable businesses.

Launched in 2021, the Empowering Rural Women Initiative supports women retailers who have demonstrated the determination to grow their businesses but have limited access to training, mentorship and the resources required to expand.

Before the Zaria edition, the programme had supported 432 women entrepreneurs across several communities in Nigeria. The addition of the 50 women from Zaria brings the total number reached to 482.

Programme monitoring shows that more than 80% of participants from previous cohorts have sustained and grown their businesses beyond the initial stock boost provided through the programme. Many now operate at a significantly higher level than when they joined, with larger inventories, higher turnover, more customers and stronger financial and business-management practices.

Across Nigeria, women entrepreneurs sustain local commerce, support household incomes and ensure that everyday products reach their communities, particularly in areas where small retailers provide an important connection between consumers and larger markets.

Speaking at the event, Boladale Odunlami, Commercial Manager, Nestlé Nigeria, highlighted the scale of their contribution and the importance of enabling their continued growth. He said, “Women account for approximately 60% of the retailers in Nestlé Nigeria’s retail network. Every day, they help us reach consumers, build trust within communities and keep our business moving. Their contribution is significant, and we value them as important business partners. The Empowering Rural Women Initiative reflects our belief that the women who contribute to our growth should have the opportunity to grow with us. By investing in their skills and strengthening their businesses, we are helping them increase their earning potential while building a stronger, more capable and more resilient retail network.”

The training for the Zaria participants covered bookkeeping, merchandising, stock management, financial management and customer service. Over the next three months, mentors will provide practical guidance as the women manage their increased stock, apply their new knowledge and reinvest their profits to support continued growth. The participants were also encouraged to learn from one another and build relationships that could provide support beyond the formal mentorship period.

Reflecting on the programme’s five-year journey, Victoria Uwadoka, Corporate Communications, Public Affairs and Sustainability Lead, Nestlé Nigeria, said, “The true measure of this initiative is not the support we provide on the day, but what the women go on to build with it. Five years on, we are seeing women sustain their growth, expand their businesses and create greater economic security for themselves and their families.

“That is Creating Shared Value in action. As these women build stronger businesses and better livelihoods, they also strengthen the retail network that connects Nestlé to communities across Nigeria. It is a model in which progress for the women and progress for our business reinforce each other, turning an initial investment into lasting value.”

The Zaria edition was delivered with the support of Nestlé Nigeria’s implementation partners and local distributors. During the mentorship period, their continued engagement will support the participants as they put their training into practice and work towards stronger, more profitable businesses.

As the Empowering Rural Women Initiative enters its next chapter, Nestlé Nigeria remains committed to building on the progress recorded over the past five years and enabling more hardworking women to develop stronger, more sustainable businesses.

The Federal government has extended the deadline for the submission of memoranda and position papers on the proposed National Policing Bill to Friday, August 21, 2026, as part of efforts to broaden public participation.

The extension was announced on Thursday by the Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill, which said interested individuals, institutions and organisations now have until 5:00 p.m. West Africa Time on the new deadline to submit their recommendations on the proposed legislation.

In a statement signed by the Chief of Staff to the President and Chairman of the Presidential Working Group, Femi Gbajabiamila, the committee said the additional time was approved to ensure that stakeholders have adequate opportunity to make comprehensive and technically sound contributions capable of strengthening the proposed law.

According to the statement, the Working Group remains committed to developing a National Policing Bill that reflects broad national consensus through an inclusive consultation process involving professionals, institutions and citizens from across the country.

“The Presidential Working Group is committed to ensuring that the process of developing the National Policing Bill benefits from broad consultation and the informed perspectives of Nigerians and relevant stakeholders,” the statement said.

Gbajabiamila explained that the proposed legislation is designed to establish the operational, administrative, institutional and funding framework required for a more effective policing architecture capable of responding to Nigeria’s evolving security challenges.

He said the Bill is expected to strengthen professionalism, improve accountability, modernise policing operations and provide stronger safeguards for the protection of citizens’ rights while addressing longstanding institutional deficiencies within the nation’s law enforcement system.

The Presidential Working Group stressed that the complexity of policing reforms requires extensive public engagement and expert input before the legislation is finalised.

According to Gbajabiamila, issues requiring careful consideration include sustainable funding mechanisms, command and control structures, recruitment and training standards, operational jurisdiction, inter-agency coordination, accountability systems and safeguards against political interference or abuse of policing powers.

“These considerations underscore the importance of robust stakeholder engagement in developing a framework that is effective, accountable, sustainable and responsive to the peculiar security needs of communities across the federation,” he added.

The Working Group encouraged legal practitioners, civil society organisations, security sector professionals, state governments, professional bodies, academics, policy experts and interested members of the public to take advantage of the extended consultation window by submitting memoranda and position papers exclusively through the official National Policing Bill portal before the new deadline.

It also expressed appreciation to stakeholders who had already made submissions, describing their contributions as vital to producing a credible and implementation-ready legal framework.

The Working Group disclosed that, upon completing the nationwide consultation process, it will prepare a final implementation-ready draft of the National Policing Bill for submission to President Bola Tinubu.

Following presidential review and approval, the Executive Bill will be transmitted to the National Assembly for legislative consideration as part of the Federal government’s broader security reform agenda.

The committee is expected to present the completed Executive Bill package to the President on September 3, 2026.

The National Policing Bill is one of the flagship initiatives of the Tinubu administration aimed at overhauling Nigeria’s policing system amid persistent security challenges, including terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, organised crime and communal violence across several parts of the country.

The public consultation process officially commenced on August 3, 2026, when Gbajabiamila announced the launch of the National Policing Bill portal and invited stakeholders to submit memoranda within an initial two-week consultation window.

Security experts have long argued that Nigeria’s existing policing framework requires comprehensive legal and institutional reforms to improve operational efficiency, enhance accountability, strengthen cooperation among security agencies, and promote community-oriented policing.

The Nigeria Police Force, Lagos State Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Panti, Yaba, has declared the duo of Ajibola Obateru and Folawiyo Balogun Alagbado wanted, in connection with conspiracy and murder of an unnamed person.

The two males are on the run after they allegedly committed the nefarious activities, National Association of Online Security News Publishers (NAOSNP) can report.

The Manhunt, which was launched in separate announcements hinted that Ajibola Obateru, 32, 5ft 9, a ‘fleeing suspect, allegedly conspired with others and attacked the victim, made away with her body and personal belongings. The crime was committed at Ikoyi Axis of lagos.’

In the same vein, Folawiyo Balogun Alagbado, Yoruba, 32, average height ‘conspired with others to attack the victim allegedly killed her and made away with her body to an unknown location. The victim’s belongings were also stolen by the fleeing suspect and his cohorts. The crime was committed at Ikoyi Axis of Lagos.’

The State CID Panti Yaba hinted that the last known address of the two men on the run is Ibadan, Oyo State and urges members of the public to report them immediately upon sighting.

“Anyone who sees him should please arrest and hand him over to the nearest police station or report immediately to the office of the Commissioner of Police State CID, Panti Yaba or call 08038843816,” the wanted notice revealed.