The First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, yesterday hosted the Russian Chapter of the BRICS Women’s Business Alliance at the State House in Abuja.
She said Nigeria is a fertile ground for global partnerships and a dependable ally of the BRICS bloc.
Welcoming the business alliance’s delegation, led by its Chairperson, Anna Nesterova, Mrs. Tinubu described Nigeria as ‘a very interesting place that you will find rewarding for partnerships’.
The First Lady assured the visitors of her office’s continued advocacy for women’s empowerment and entrepreneurship.
She stressed the statutory role of government ministries in driving concrete economic engagements, saying: ‘My office will continue to provide advocacy and encouragement, but the ministries have the statutory responsibilities and budgets to support your mission.
‘I do a lot of programmes through my foundation, but when it comes to women’s empowerment and entrepreneurship, the ministries are the right partners. My role is to complement, advise, and facilitate.’
Mrs. Tinubu highlighted her humanitarian work through the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI), saying she has personal commitments to education, women, and children.
The First Lady recalled that she dedicated her 65th birthday to raising funds for a national library project and announced plans to distribute sanitary kits to schoolgirls in Gombe State as part of her outreach to rural communities.
Nesterova praised Mrs. Tinubu 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’.
The BRICS Women’s Business Alliance chairperson announced the group’s plans to establish a regional office in Nigeria to serve as a gateway for women entrepreneurs into international markets.
She also announced a donation of 1,000 labour and delivery kits to support maternal health in Nigeria.
The chairperson highlighted the alliance’s global reach, saying: ‘Our Common Digital Platform currently connects more than 3,000 businesswomen from 60 countries. Last year, the BRICS Women’s Startups Contest attracted 50 applications from Nigeria alone.’
The Russian delegation included senior executives and academics, such as Ms. Liudmila Shcherbakova of VET PHARM Group, Ms. Natalia Vershinina of United Migration Centre, Prof. Liudmila Popova of Orel State University, and Ms. Anna Meshcheryakova of Third Opinion AI.
They expressed readiness to collaborate in the areas of pharmaceuticals and labour mobility to financial literacy and AI-driven healthcare solutions.
The visitors joined Nigerian officials at a technical session, which held at the State House Banquet Hall and focused on the topic: Strengthening Bilateral Ties and Exploring Investment Opportunities between Nigeria and Russia.
The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, described the engagement as a new chapter in Nigeria-Russia relations.
‘This gathering must go beyond symbolism. It should deliver actionable frameworks for cooperation, joint ventures, and enduring networks between Nigerian and Russian women entrepreneurs,’ she said.
The minister linked the talks to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope foreign policy agenda, stressing that empowering women is ‘not just a moral duty but a strategic investment in national growth and stability’.
Also, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, delved into over six decades of Nigeria-Russia cooperation in education, technology, defence, and energy.
She noted that Nigerian women own over 40 per cent of small and medium enterprises and constitute nearly 39 per cent of registered exporters.
‘With Nigeria’s demographic strength and entrepreneurial dynamism, and Russia’s technological expertise, our two nations can pursue mutually beneficial partnerships in agriculture, food security, mining, energy, the digital economy, and healthcare,’ Oduwole said.
The minister underscored Nigeria’s gateway role under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), offering investors access to a $3 trillion market of 1.3 billion people.
Other speakers at the event included the Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Sulieman-Ibrahim, and the Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, who stressed the importance of women and youth in driving innovation and inclusive growth.