The Chinwe-Bode Akinwande (CBA) Foundation is
pleased to announce its upcoming conference themed “Empowering Widows in Nigeria:
Breaking the Cycle of Poverty and Vulnerability,” scheduled to be held on 9 October
2025 at Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos. The pivotal event is aimed at spotlighting the
pressing challenges faced by underprivileged widows across the country.
The CBA Foundation is a registered not-for-profit organisation, dedicated to providing a
beacon of hope for underprivileged widows and children, protecting and empowering
them with the courage to build better lives.
Widows, particularly those from marginalised communities, frequently endure isolation,
neglect, and systemic injustice. The CBA Foundation Conference will provide a platform
for meaningful conversations that illuminate these realities and explore empowerment
strategies such as skill acquisition, microfinance, impact investing, and advocacy.
Speaking about the conference, the founder of the CBA Foundation, Chinwe Bode-
Akinwande, stated, “Widows are often exploited, largely because they are vulnerable.
Our mission is to empower them through strategic partnerships and capacity-building
initiatives, amplifying their voices and strengthening their positions in society. With this
conference, we are creating a platform for stakeholders to share their experiences on
these issues, proffer solutions to them and drive everyone to commit to implementing
the solutions.”
The conference will feature a keynote address by Amina Oyagbola, Founder of Women
in Successful Careers (WISCAR), and a plenary session moderated by Hansatu
Adegbite, Executive Director of Women in Business and Public Service (WIMBIZ). The
event will also include interactive discussions, success stories from impact-driven
programmes, and a call to action for attendees to engage in meaningful support for
widows across the country.
It will bring together stakeholders from civil society, government, academia, and the
private sector to share experiences, successes, and policy recommendations to build
more supportive environment for widows.
Since its official launch in 2015, the CBA Foundation has impacted over ten thousand
widows with women empowerment/capacity building projects. It has provided support
for over seventeen thousand widows with health intervention support, food distribution,
business start-up assistance, clothing, and one-on-one counseling. The Foundation has
also supported over 100 underprivileged children with tuition fees and skill acquisition
training.
