Favour Abatang

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

The foundation has so far reached over 7,500 girls across 60 communities, offering literacy, life skills, vocational training, and psychosocial support.

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.

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.