ECOWAS Launches US$365 Million SWEDD+ Project to Empower Women and Girls Across Sub-Saharan Africa

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission has launched the US$365 million Sub-Saharan Africa Women’s Empowerment and Demographic Dividend Plus (SWEDD+) project, a regional initiative aimed at empowering women and girls across the Sahel and beyond. Nigeria is among the countries set to benefit from this expanded program, which builds on the success of the earlier SWEDD initiative.

Originally launched in 2015, the SWEDD program responded to demographic challenges in the Sahel, focusing on five countries: Burkina Faso, Chad, The Gambia, Senegal, and Togo. With support from the World Bank and the United Nations, SWEDD aimed to address gender inequality and empower women and girls through education and economic opportunities.

Due to its success in empowering over two million girls, SWEDD has now evolved into the SWEDD+ project, which will extend its efforts to additional countries, including Nigeria, Benin, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, Mali, Mauritania, and Niger. The expanded program aims to tackle the region’s development challenges by fostering gender equality, economic participation, and social inclusion.

Madame Damtien Tchintchibidja, Vice President of the ECOWAS Commission, emphasized the significance of the project, calling it a “call to action” for nations to invest in the potential of adolescent girls and young women. “SWEDD+ enables these girls to become active contributors to the economic and social development of their nations,” she said.

The SWEDD+ initiative will build on the foundational work of SWEDD, which has already helped over 1 million girls remain in school through scholarships, meals, and transportation support. With technical backing from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and funding from the World Bank, SWEDD+ will continue to drive progress in the region by addressing the vulnerabilities of young women and girls, enabling them to unlock their full potential.

The program is also set to include collaborations with regional organizations, including ECOWAS and the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), ensuring a coordinated response to the region’s challenges.