The First Lady Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) is a flagship social development and empowerment programme led by Senator Oluremi Tinubu, First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Officially launched in August 2024, RHI seeks to touch the lives of vulnerable Nigerians through a suite of interventions spanning economic empowerment, health, education, agriculture, social investment, and civil identity (birth registration). It aligns closely with the broader “Renewed Hope Agenda” of the Tinubu administration.
Origins and Vision of RHI
The Renewed Hope Initiative builds on Senator Oluremi Tinubu’s long-standing commitment to women, youth, and social welfare from her prior public service roles. According to Devex, RHI is structured as a non-profit, non-governmental initiative with reach from the federal level down to local communities. 0 The initiative is aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s agenda for inclusive growth, economic opportunity, and social inclusion.
One of the most prominent early programmes under RHI is the birth registration at scale project, rolled out in partnership with UNICEF and the National Population Commission, launched on 29 August 2024, to ensure all children under five are legally registered from birth. 1
Core Pillars & Thematic Areas
RHI is built around multiple thematic pillars that reflect Nigeria’s pressing needs. These include:
- Economic Empowerment: direct grants, recapitalization, entrepreneurship training, especially for women and informal sector operators.
- Health & Social Investment: support for maternal-child health, frontline workers, food outreach for vulnerable groups.
- Agriculture & Food Security: support for women farmers, agro-inputs, training, and interventions to boost production. 2
- Education & Identity: programmes like “Flow with Confidence” for schoolgirls’ menstrual health, scholarships, and linking birth registration to identity systems. 3
- Social Inclusion & Vulnerable Groups: food subsidies, elderly support, empowerment of persons with disabilities, and distribution of essential non-food items. 4
- Collaboration & Partnerships: engaging with donors, private sector, NGOs, and state-level actors to expand reach and embed sustainability.
Key Programmes & Interventions to Date
Since its inception, the First Lady’s Renewed Hope Initiative has rolled out various programmes across Nigeria. Below are some of the flagship interventions:
Food Outreach / Social Relief
Under its social investment pillar, RHI launched a food outreach scheme in March 2024 targeted at persons with disabilities, vulnerable families and underserved communities. Food supplies have been distributed monthly to states, often two states per month, supported by donors such as Abdul Samad Rabiu Africa Initiative (ASR) and anonymous benefactors. 5
The initiative also extended to Lagos, with vulnerable residents receiving essential food items to ease burdens. 6
Economic Grants & Empowerment
In Oyo State, 1,000 women petty traders received capital grants to strengthen their small businesses under RHI. 7 In Ondo State, 500 women were empowered with grants of ₦50,000 each and productive assets like freezers, ovens, and generators. 8 RHI has also initiated state-level disbursements in multiple states, ensuring equitable coverage. 9
Health & Maternal Support
In one notable programme, the First Lady distributed 10,000 professional kits (scrubs and shoes) to midwives across the South-East to support maternal healthcare efforts. 10
RHI’s health component is intended to complement federal health investments and reduce maternal and infant mortality. 11
Agriculture & Farmer Support
RHI launched an agricultural support programme targeting women farmers, with ₦500,000 grants per beneficiary, training on preservation and cultivation, especially in the South-West zone. 12 The programme plans to expand to include youths and male farmers in future iterations. 13
Birth Registration at Scale & Identity Linkage
One of the defining features of RHI is its project to accelerate birth registration across the country. The goal is to ensure that every child under five is legally documented from birth, leveraging a digitized Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (e-CRVS) system and linking registration to NIN (National Identification Number). 14
Through this, children will receive legally recognized identity from birth, giving them access to essential services and protection. 15
Education & Sanitary Health for Girls (“Flow with Confidence”)
In the 2025 plan, the First Lady announced distribution of 370,000 cartons of sanitary pads, especially targeting girls in rural communities, under the “Flow with Confidence” scheme to reduce school absenteeism. 16 States will also receive support to produce these pads locally to stimulate local industry. 17
Support for Elderly & Persons With Disabilities
RHI is increasingly attending to the needs of the elderly and persons with disabilities. In recent outreach, wheelchairs and assistive devices were distributed in Kogi State. 18 Food outreach has also included persons with disabilities across states. 19 Plans for dedicated support schemes for the elderly are underway. 20
Structure, Governance & Partnerships
RHI is built to operate on multiple levels—federal, state, and grassroots. As a non-profit initiative, it mobilizes resources from private donors, philanthropic institutions, and partnerships. 21
The First Lady leads as National Chairperson, while state first ladies and coordinated agencies act as state-level implementers. Collaboration with government agencies such as the National Population Commission (NPC), NIMC, ministries of health, agriculture, and donor organizations like UNICEF are central to its success. 22
To ensure accountability and alignment with national goals, RHI is aligned with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially those touching on zero poverty, good health and well-being, quality education, gender equality, and reduced inequalities.
Impact, Reach & Early Results
Even in its early years, RHI has already made significant strides:
- Thousands of women across states have received capital grants and productive assets. 23
- Midwives have benefited from professional kits to enhance maternal care. 24
- Birth registration drive is already underway with UNICEF backing, improving legal identity coverage. 25
- Food outreach and social relief campaigns are active in many states providing lifeline support. 26
- Schoolgirl sanitary programs and empowerment campaigns are being positioned for national rollout. 27
These early outcomes set the stage for more expansive implementation and sustainable change across Nigeria’s 36 states and the FCT.
Challenges & Risks
Like any ambitious initiative, RHI faces hurdles:
- Funding sustainability and donor dependency.
- Scalability to rural, remote communities with limited infrastructure.
- Coordination among multiple agencies, states, and local government areas.
- Digital divide and connectivity issues hindering e-CRVS implementation.
- Ensuring transparency, accountability, and avoidance of politicization.
- Awareness gaps and ensuring community acceptance.
Addressing these will require strong governance, consistent monitoring, local ownership, and engagement with civil society.
How Nigerians Can Benefit & Participate
If you live in Nigeria and want to benefit from RHI, here are practical steps:
- Watch for announcement windows (e.g. birth registration or grant programmes) in your state via RHI or state first lady offices.
- Ensure you meet basic criteria (e.g. being a woman trader, farmer, vulnerable group, student, etc.).
- Visit your state RHI coordination office (often through the state first lady’s office) or partner health/registration centers.
- Submit required documentation, including identification, proof of status, business records or medical proof if applicable.
- Participate in outreach events and community mobilization to demand inclusion in programmes like food relief or sanitary pad distribution.
- Support local awareness by mobilizing community groups, NGOs, and local leaders to ensure no one is left behind.
Looking Ahead: Future Plans & Expansion
The First Lady has already outlined more ambitious plans for 2025 and beyond. Key announcements include:
- Expansion of the “Flow with Confidence” sanitary pad programme to reach more girls. 28
- Scaling up PWD and elderly support across all states. 29
- Stronger integration of RHI with national systems like NIMC, NPC, and health agencies for sustainability.
- Encouragement of local production (e.g. sanitary pads, agricultural inputs) to stimulate supply chains. 30
- Continued economic empowerment programmes with deeper reach in informal sectors and rural communities. 31
Conclusion
The First Lady Renewed Hope Initiative is a bold, multifaceted strategy aimed at empowering vulnerable Nigerians across social, economic, health, identity and education dimensions. By centering the lives of women, youth, children, elderly, and persons with disabilities, RHI seeks to restore dignity, hope, and opportunity at scale. While still in its early phase, its growing footprint across states, partnerships with agencies like NPC, UNICEF, and donor involvement signal transformative potential. If implemented with integrity, accountability, and grassroots inclusion, RHI could become one of Nigeria’s most lasting social interventions.
For deeper reading about one of its signature components, see Renewed Hope Initiative Project on Birth Registration at Scale or explore related programs under NDE via List of Programs Under NDE.