Favour Abatang
Birth nameFavour Abatang
Birth dateApril 13, 2000 (age 26)
Birth placeNew Karu, Nasarawa State, Nigeria
AwardsThe Diana Award, 100 Reputable Women of African Descent
Alma materUniversity of Calabar
Occupationsocial entrepreneur · women's right advocate

Favour Abatang (born April 13, 2000), is a Nigerian social entrepreneur and women's rights advocate. She is the founder and executive director of Her Voice Foundation, a non-profit organization focused on empowering teenage mothers and at-risk girls across Nigeria.[1]

She was named among the 100 Reputable Women of African Descent by the African Women Network and is a recipient of The Diana Award for social action and humanitarian work.[2][3]

Early life and education

Favour was born and raised in New Karu, Nasarawa State, but originally hails from Obanliku in Cross River State.

Favour's early life was shaped by both vulnerability and resilience. She attended Babcecil Nursery and Primary School in New Karu, As a child, school initially felt more like an obligation than an opportunity. However, everything changed at the age of ten when she lost her mother.

She went on to study philosophy at the University of Calabar, where she graduated as the best female student. She later got a scholarship from the Mastercard Foundation to study Africa and International Development at the University of Edinburgh.[4]

In 2023, she participated in professional development programmes at the Stellenbosch Business Institute, where she completed training in Design Thinking and Innovative Leadership. She also attended the Lagos Business School, earning a certificate in Nonprofit Leadership and Management, supported by the Ford Foundation and the Lagos Business School Sustainability Centre.[5]

Career

A defining moment in Favour's career came in 2020 when she encountered a 12-year-old pregnant girl. According to her, what struck her most was not just the situation, but the realization that the girl's story was not an isolated case. It reflected a broader pattern of girls being pushed out of school, childhoods ending too early, and harmful practices sustained by silence and systemic gaps. That conviction led to the founding of Her Voice Foundation, initially launched as Campus Babe Initiative. The organization was created in direct response to the realities facing Africa's teenage mothers and vulnerable girls, particularly those excluded from education and support systems.[6]

Under her leadership, Her Voice Foundation has focused on helping girls stay in or return to school, while also providing access to healthcare, protection, and economic empowerment. Beyond direct support, the foundation actively engages in advocacy, challenging policies, cultural norms, and systemic barriers that push girls out of education and limit their opportunities.[7]

The foundation has so far reached over 7,500 girls across 60 communities, offering literacy, life skills, vocational training, and psychosocial support.[5] In 2023, with support from UN Women under the Spotlight Initiative, she led a campaign in Becheve, Cross River State, to combat the resurgence of money marriage. She mobilized 1,000 men as allies and engaged 200 traditional rulers who pledged to abandon the practice.[8][9]

Favour has served as a research fellow at Data Ville Group's Institute for Development Research in Nigeria, where she contributed to work focused on development policy and social impact. Since 2020, she has been involved with UN Women Nigeria as a National Youth Gender Advocate.

Her works have reached international audiences through speaking engagements, including her appearance on the TEDx stage, where she delivered a speech titled “The Power of a Second Chance.” In it, she emphasized a core belief that defines her work: that teenage mothers deserve opportunities to rebuild their lives through education, support, and dignity.[4]

Awards and recognitions

In October 2020, Abatang emerged as the 3rd Prize Winner at the South-South Technovation Hackathon Challenge, organized by the National Information Technology Development Agency

In 2023, she received the Diana Award, recognizing her as one of the young people making exceptional contributions to humanitarian causes.[3] That same year, she received the Girl Child Education Champion Award in South Africa, presented by the Maldives minister of defense, Mariya Didi[10]

In 2025, she was named among the 100 Reputable Women of African Descent alongside Nigeria's First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, President of Tanzania, Samia Suluhu Hassan, President of Mauritius, Ameenah Gurb-Fakim, MTN Uganda CEO, Sylvia Mulinge, Kwara State First Lady, Olufolake Abdulrazaq, Afrobeat singer, Tems, and others.[11][12]

References

  1. ^ "Favour Abatang, Founder of Her Voice Foundation: Her Journey, Impact, and Global Recognition – THISDAYLIVE". Retrieved 2026-04-19.
  2. ^ S3c, Sysadmin (2025-03-20). "Cross River’s Favour Abatang Listed Among 100 Reputable Women Of African Descent". CrossRiverWatch. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
  3. ^ "Roll of Honour 2023". diana-award.org.uk. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
  4. ^ Nwafor (2026-04-06). "How Favour Abatang is rewriting the future for Nigeria’s teenage mothers". Vanguard News. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
  5. ^ AmadinOgbewe (2026-04-10). "Favour Abatang’s Initiative Reaches Over 60 Communities Across Nigeria driving Hope for Teenage Mothers and At-Risk Girls". Retrieved 2026-04-19.
  6. ^ Uduak, Happiness (2025-01-01). "Favour Abatang moves to future-proof at-risk girls in Africa.". thebenchmark.com.ng. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
  7. ^ S3c, Sysadmin (2024-07-01). "Organization Launches Initiative To Support 'Money Wife' Survivors In Cross River". CrossRiverWatch. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
  8. ^ "Why I Built Initiative To Empower Teenage Mothers — Favour". Daily Trust. 2025-10-01. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
  9. ^ "Teenage pregnancy: Nigerian non-profit leads the charge against repressive cultures - Prime Progress NG". 2024-04-18. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
  10. ^ S3c, Sysadmin (2023-05-25). "Cross River Born Favour, Kenya's First Lady, Decorated As Africa Girl Child Education Champion In South Africa". CrossRiverWatch. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
  11. ^ "African Women Network Names Cross River Born Favour Abatang Among 100 Reputable Women Of African Descent - TheInvestigator". 2025-03-20. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
  12. ^ "Favour Abatang Recognised Among 100 Remarkable Women of African Descent". Sentry Times. 2025-03-20. Retrieved 2026-04-19.