The Centre for Leadership, Strategy and Development (Centre LSD) has announced the completion of its 2nd Women in Frontline Extractive Communities (WIFE) Livelihood Support Training for women in Edo, Ondo, Bayelsa, and Delta States.
Development Diaries reports that the Livelihood Training for Women in Frontline Extractive Communities (WIFE) in the Niger Delta was launched in July 2025.
Announcing via a post on its Facebook page, the organisation noted that women from extractive communities came together to explore the true meaning of cooperatives and gained financial knowledge.
‘Over three impactful days, women from extractive communities came together to explore the true meaning and benefits of cooperatives, learning how collective power can drive sustainable change.
‘They also gained practical knowledge on bookkeeping, creating simple financial templates suited to their daily realities. The training wrapped up with an eye-opening session on savings and investment, highlighting the importance of financial discipline and future planning’, the post read.
Through this initiative, Centre LSD taken a significant step toward promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment.
By targeting women in extractive communities across the Niger Delta, an area long marked by environmental degradation, economic exclusion, and patriarchal norms, Centre LSD is directly addressing structural barriers that limit women’s participation in decision-making and economic development.
The initiative has not only provided training in critical areas such as cooperative development, bookkeeping, savings, and investment but has also strategically positioned women as leaders by facilitating the election of state coordinators to manage cooperative efforts locally.
This move promotes localised leadership and builds agency among women, equipping them with practical skills and knowledge to manage resources, build collective economic power, and influence community development processes.
Delivered over two training batches in Uyo and Warri, and targeting 60 women leaders from multiple states in the region, the programme goes beyond mere capacity buildin, it is fostering a transformative movement.
It recognises women not just as passive victims of extractive activities, but as active agents of change who can drive sustainable solutions within their communities.
Centre LSD’s investment in women’s leadership and economic resilience is driving progress toward SDG 5 (Gender Equality) and SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), reinforcing the vital role of women’s empowerment in achieving inclusive and sustainable development across the Niger Delta and beyond.
Photo source: Centre LSD/Facebook
