Nigeria has reinforced its commitment to advancing inclusive growth through women empowerment initiatives, integrating policy, partnerships, and innovation to unlock opportunities for women.
Speaking at a high-level ministerial Fireside conversation themed “SheThrives: Advancing Women’s Economic Empowerment,” in the United Kingdom, on the margins of the state visit of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, said the engagement places women’s economic empowerment at the heart of bilateral cooperation.
“This particular state visit provides an opportunity to further put women’s economic empowerment at the centre,” she said, highlighting collaboration in finance, market access, skills, innovation, and technology.
Central to the dialogue organised by the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development and moderated by Dr Anino Emuwa Founder 100 Women Davos, is “SheThrives”, a multi-stakeholder platform delivered in partnership with the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women, designed to strengthen ecosystems for women-led enterprises.
According to Sulaiman-Ibrahim, the initiative provides flexible entry points for stakeholders to support women across value chains.
“SheThrives presents you with a playfield where you choose how you support… across access to markets, finance and global competitiveness,” she stated.
The Minister emphasised that Nigeria is witnessing unprecedented momentum.
“It’s truly Nigeria women o’clock… we see the highest level of political will, prioritisation and more domestic resources coming to the space.”
She identified intentional investment and structural reforms as critical, noting that investing in women “is not just a social imperative, but an economic one,” with strong potential to boost national productivity.
A key pillar of the Minister’s intervention is the care economy policy, aimed at addressing persistent barriers. The framework will support childcare, parenting, and caregiving systems, while recognising unpaid care work as economic contribution.
“No woman would put her career before her family… those days are gone where women have to choose between the two,” the Minister of Women Affairs said.
Complementing this is the Women on Mobility programme, offering flexible, technology-driven opportunities.
“We must make work very easy for women because Nigerian women are toiling, but it’s not translating into real-life value,” Sulaiman-Ibrahim noted.
Founder of the foundation, Cherie Blair, highlighted the importance of digital tools.
“Technology can actually help you run your businesses more efficiently,” she said, stressing the need for targeted skills development.
The dialogue held in partnership with Labour African Network and supported by the Osahon Okunbo Foundation and Loyn Marine Services, reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to building a strong, inclusive ecosystem where women are empowered as key drivers of sustainable economic growth.