First Lady Hosts BRICS Women’s Alliance, Calls Nigeria a Prime Global Partner

First Lady Hosts BRICS Women’s Alliance, Calls Nigeria a Prime Global Partner

Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has described the country as one of the best allies for the BRICS nations, stressing that Nigeria offers abundant opportunities for global partnerships.

She made the remarks on Tuesday while receiving the Russian chapter of the BRICS Women’s Business Alliance at the State House, Abuja.

“Nigeria is a very interesting place that you will find rewarding for partnerships,” the First Lady said, pledging continued support for initiatives that promote women’s empowerment and entrepreneurship.

Senator Tinubu explained that while her office provides advocacy and encouragement, relevant ministries hold the statutory mandate and budgetary capacity to drive women-focused programmes. She added that her Renewed Hope Initiative and other charitable projects remain dedicated to supporting women, children, and families.

Reflecting on her recent 65th birthday, the First Lady disclosed that she marked the occasion by raising funds for a national library project and announced plans to distribute sanitary towels to young women in Gombe State.

Chairperson of the BRICS Women’s Alliance, Anna Nesterova, praised Tinubu’s leadership, describing her as “an incredible woman who not only changes lives for the better but also paves the way for a prosperous future for the Nigerian people.”

Nesterova further revealed plans to establish a BRICS Women’s Business Alliance Regional Office in Nigeria, which she said would serve as a “gateway for Nigerian women entrepreneurs to international markets.” She also highlighted the Alliance’s Common Digital Platform, which currently links more than 3,000 businesswomen from 60 countries, and disclosed that Nigeria produced 50 entries in last year’s BRICS Women’s Startups Contest.

As part of its commitment to maternal health, the Alliance announced a donation of 1,000 labour and delivery kits to Nigeria.

The Russian delegation included top business leaders and academics, such as Liudmila Shcherbakova of VET PHARM Group, Natalia Vershinina of United Migration Center, Prof. Liudmila Popova of Orel State University, and Anna Meshcheryakova of Third Opinion AI, all of whom expressed interest in cross-sector collaboration.

Following their visit, the delegation joined senior government officials at a technical session held at the State House Banquet Hall on “Strengthening Bilateral Ties and Exploring Investment Opportunities between Nigeria and Russia.”

Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, underscored the significance of the gathering, urging that it move beyond symbolism to deliver “actionable frameworks for cooperation, joint ventures, and enduring networks between Nigerian and Russian women entrepreneurs.”

Also speaking, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Jumoke Oduwole, noted that Nigeria and Russia share over six decades of cooperation in education, defence, energy, and technology, stressing that women already own over 40 percent of Nigeria’s SMEs and account for nearly 39 percent of registered exporters.

Other participants included the Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Sulieman-Ibrahim, and Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, alongside heads of key government agencies.