Senator Oluremi Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Initiative has donated N9.4bn to health and humanitarian causes in the last 16 months, supporting various communities
Senator Oluremi Tinubu’s pet project, the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI), has made substantial contributions to health and humanitarian causes across Nigeria, donating a total of N9.4 billion in the past 16 months.
The initiative, which focuses on supporting vulnerable communities, women, displaced persons, and orphans of fallen military heroes, has delivered a range of aid through direct cash disbursements and pledged interventions.
Launched shortly after President Bola Tinubu assumed office in May 2023, the RHI has been involved in several key initiatives, beginning with a series of relief efforts aimed at providing immediate assistance to communities affected by natural disasters and insecurity.
In July 2023, the initiative donated N250,000 each to 57 families impacted by flooding in Abuja’s TradeMore Estate, amounting to N14.25 million.
It also pledged N500 million in relief funds to victims of insecurity in Maiduguri, Borno State, and provided N427.75 million to widows and orphans of fallen servicemen, benefitting 1,709 individuals.
As part of its ongoing efforts to uplift women and strengthen domestic food production, the RHI launched the “Every Home a Garden” contest in November 2023, offering N20 million in prizes to first-time female farmers nationwide.
In August of the same year, the initiative announced scholarships worth N4 million each for 43 students, while also launching a digital literacy programme in partnership with the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).
Thirty-five women received training and N100,000 each, along with a laptop, as part of the initiative’s efforts to improve women’s participation in technology.
The initiative has also focused on supporting elderly Nigerians, with N950 million donated to police and military retirees, as well as senior citizens aged 65 and above.
This formed part of the Elderly Support Scheme, which reached at least 250 individuals in December 2023. By December 2024, a further N1.9 billion had been allocated for the welfare of the elderly across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Additionally, N50 million was earmarked for 250 older persons in Nasarawa State.
In a bid to empower female petty traders, the RHI distributed N50 million in grants to 1,000 women in Nasarawa, Kaduna, and Edo states between August and December 2023.
This was part of a broader N1.8 billion plan to support 37,000 women traders nationwide. The initiative also offered financial assistance to 500 displaced families in Plateau State and provided N70 million to 140 women farmers in the North-West.
Internationally, the RHI has supported Nigerians in the diaspora, donating $100,000 (about N150 million) in early 2023 to construct a hospital for over 40,000 Nigerians living in Sierra Leone.
The Nigerian Diaspora Organisation in Sierra Leone praised this gesture, highlighting the significant impact on the local community.
On December 20, 2024, the initiative distributed 22,800 bags of rice and N95 million to Christian communities in northern Nigeria for Christmas and New Year festivities.
Further donations in February 2025 included N100 million for families affected by a tanker explosion in Niger State, with each of the 70 families receiving N1 million.
Despite growing questions over the source of the funding, as the office of the First Lady does not receive statutory budget allocations, Senator Tinubu has explained that most of the RHI’s funds come from private donors and corporate partners, such as the BUA Group, who prefer to remain anonymous.
During a meeting with governors’ wives, she emphasised that the initiative operates as a non-governmental organisation (NGO), with generous support from donors.
Tinubu expressed gratitude for the contributions, stating that the goal is to continue expanding the reach of the RHI’s programmes to all corners of Nigeria.
The Renewed Hope Initiative’s impressive track record in just over a year reflects a strong commitment to improving the lives of vulnerable Nigerians, especially women, children, and the elderly, as the programme continues to provide essential support across the country.
