Nigeria’s Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, has reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to bold, transformative reforms that accelerate gender equality and inclusion across the country.
Delivering a keynote address at the Gender and Inclusion Summit 2025 (GS-25) in Abuja, the Minister said: “It is always exciting to be in a space that puts women, children, youth, the vulnerable, and the abandoned voices at the centre of discussion. This is because, in my opinion, that is where the real work of building nations begins.”
She emphasised that insights and innovations from the summit would feed directly into government programmes.
“The conversations here, the evidence generated, and the innovations presented will not end within these walls. They will directly inform our frameworks, policies, and programmes under the Renewed Hope Agenda for Women, Children, Families, and the Vulnerable,” she stated.
Highlighting the link between women’s empowerment and national prosperity, the Minister noted: “Nigeria’s ambition of becoming a $1 trillion economy cannot be achieved if women, who represent over 50% of our population, remain constrained to the margins.”
Sulaiman-Ibrahim outlined ongoing initiatives, including the Renewed Hope Social Impact Interventions – 774 (RH-SII774), implemented in 18 states across agriculture, clean cooking, skill acquisition, market linkages, and family strengthening under the “Families First Initiative.”
She added that establishing a robust National Care Economy Framework is a key ambition aimed at unlocking the productive potential of millions of women and vulnerable households.
Citing examples of progress across the country, she said: “In Adamawa State, women are now legally allowed to own and inherit land and property. Women now hold 100% of vice-chairperson positions across all 21 Local Government Councils in the state, exceeding the 35% affirmative action benchmark. In Niger State, all Local Government vice-chairmanship positions are now being reserved for women
In Rivers State, a 19-year-old girl recently won a councillorship seat, symbolising the rise of a new generation of female leaders.”
She also commended the private sector: “Female executives now occupy an estimated 22% of leadership positions, which is higher than the global average of 20%, and women lead over 40% of Nigeria’s key commercial banks.”
Highlighting the economic imperative, she cited international evidence: “A World Bank study shows that closing the gender gap in labour force participation could add as much as $229 billion to Nigeria’s GDP by 2030. This is clearly an economic necessity.”
Sharing a personal encounter to illustrate inclusion, the Minister said: “Earlier this year, during a field visit, I met a mother of four who runs a small business and is a beneficiary of the Nigeria for Women Project. Today, she saves collectively with other women, accesses credit at just 5% and earns enough to feed and educate her children. That, Your Excellencies, is the true meaning of inclusion.”
She expressed support for policy reforms backed by legislation: “This is why we are supporting the Special Seats Bill for Women, designed to guarantee women’s presence in the legislative chambers.”
Calling for technical depth in governance, she stressed:
“We must invest in building a cadre of certified gender professionals with the technical expertise to anchor institutions, ensuring that gender is not treated as a peripheral issue but as a central pillar of national planning, budgeting, and service delivery.”
She tasked participants to translate discussions into measurable action: “Accelerate action and ensure inclusion moving from meeting rooms to measurable action through innovative mechanisms that guarantee that women, youth, children, and vulnerable groups are not left behind and to collectively scale proven models and embed them sustainably in our national development frameworks.”
The Minister commended GS-25 as a continental reference point, quoting Kofi Annan: “There is no tool for development more effective than the empowerment of women. What you have built is a platform that is no longer just a national conversation; it is fast becoming Africa’s foremost marketplace of ideas for inclusion.”