Glory Ohagwu, Abuja
The Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, has welcomed a strengthened partnership with the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to empower women as champions of integrity, accountability and good governance across Nigeria.
The Minister spoke while receiving an ICPC delegation led by Director, Mr. Demola Bakare, on a courtesy visit to the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development in Abuja.
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She said the collaboration aligns with the Ministry’s core mandate of advocacy, sensitisation and protection, noting that women remain critical partners in promoting transparency, ethical leadership and civic responsibility within families and communities.
“One of the main role of the ministry is advocacy and sensitisation across all issues concerning women, so we are happy to collaborate and I think an MOU is in the offing.”
Sulaiman-Ibrahim said the Ministry already operates established advocacy platforms that can be leveraged to deepen anti-corruption awareness and strengthen community engagement nationwide.
“One of such campaign is the ‘See something, say something, and do something,’ where we are commencing collaboration to see an implementation with the NSA’s office.”
She pointed out that the Ministry’s mandate extends beyond women’s empowerment, describing it as the Federal Government’s lead institution for the protection of women, children, families and other vulnerable groups.
“Most people think that Ministry of Women Affairs is just about women’s empowerment or women’s emancipation, but it is the main protection instrument of government. It’s the human face of government. We are the lead protection ministry. So being able to address anti-corruption issues is a strong protection measure.”
She noted that corruption has far-reaching consequences for families and vulnerable populations.
“When corruption happens it deprives people of essential family status.”
She also highlighted the Ministry’s Happy Woman App, describing it as a digital platform that gives women access to information, interventions, support services and market opportunities while strengthening accountability and inclusion.
Earlier, the leader of the delegation, Mr. Demola Bakare, said the Commission was seeking strategic collaboration with the Ministry to deepen integrity and anti-corruption education through women’s groups across the country.
“This visit is for us to explore the areas which the Ministry of Women Affairs and ICPC can collaborate to deepen accountability and anti-corruption fight by women nationwide.”
Bakare requested access to the Ministry’s database of women support groups to facilitate joint advocacy, sensitisation and community engagement programmes.
He also proposed the integration of integrity and anti-corruption education into existing women empowerment initiatives, the designation of focal persons at the federal and state levels to sustain collaboration, and measures that would encourage women to report corruption and actively promote accountability within their communities.
The proposed partnership is expected to strengthen grassroots anti-corruption advocacy by harnessing women’s leadership, expanding public awareness on integrity and accountability, and advancing inclusive national development.
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