Obareki Wins FLAIR Award, Champions African Girls
For a girl growing up in a rural community with limited access to quality education, digital skills and economic opportunities, the right investment could change the course of her life.
That was the message Lady Helen Eno Obareki took to the 2026 First Ladies of Africa Impact and Resilience (FLAIR) Global Summit in London, where she called for greater investment in African women and girls.
Obareki, Coordinator of the Office of the First Lady of Akwa Ibom State and Chairperson of the Patience Umo Eno Golden Initiative for All (GIFA), spoke during a plenary on Education, Skills and the Next Generation, held from October 5 to 7.
She urged global leaders to move beyond short-term aid and prioritise long-term investment in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), digital literacy and skills that can help women achieve financial independence.
Drawing on her grassroots work in Akwa Ibom through GIFA, she also called for policies that address the realities of rural communities, including better access to maternal and child healthcare and economic opportunities for vulnerable women.
Obareki stressed that global development commitments must translate into practical solutions that improve lives at community level.
At the summit’s closing gala at London’s Dorchester, she received the FLAIR Award for Services to Women and Girls, recognising her advocacy for women’s and girls’ development.
The summit brought together African First Ladies, lawmakers, corporate executives and other leaders to discuss strategies for advancing the welfare and opportunities of women and girls.
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