Stakeholders at the 2026 Inclusion and National Security Summit have called for greater participation of women in governance, peacebuilding and national security, describing inclusion as essential to building a safer and more stable Nigeria.
The summit, organised by the iTeach Africa initiative and Empower Her for Governance Initiative, focused on the theme, “Advancing Women’s Leadership for Inclusive Governance and Security.”
The host, Ebimobiere Elezieanya said Nigeria’s challenges of terrorism, kidnapping, banditry, communal conflicts and organised crime required a broader approach to national security.
“In times of insecurity, inclusion is not just a moral ideal. It is a practical and necessary pathway to a safer, stronger nation,” she said.
UN Security Council Resolution
Elezieanya highlighted the importance of implementing United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security, which promotes women’s participation in conflict prevention, peacebuilding and security decision-making.
The Father of the Day, Dr. Otive Igbuzor said Nigeria could not achieve sustainable stability without inclusive governance and transformational leadership.
He described inclusion as “a development imperative, a democratic necessity, and a national security strategy,” stressing that women, young people and other marginalised groups must have a meaningful stake in governance.
Igbuzor warned that Nigeria could not address insecurity by relying solely on military solutions.
“We cannot police away poverty. We cannot militarise away inequality. We cannot build national unity without justice,” he said.
Former Presidential Amnesty Programme Chairman, and father of the host Chief Ndutimi Alaibe drew lessons from the Niger Delta, arguing that security becomes more sustainable when citizens have justice, opportunity and a sense of belonging.
“Inclusion is not merely a social policy. Inclusion is a national security policy,” Alaibe said.
He acknowledged that women had suffered the consequences of conflict and environmental degradation in the Niger Delta while remaining underrepresented in formal peace and security structures.
Economic participation
Alaibe called for greater economic and political participation of women, including access to capital, procurement opportunities and leadership positions within security institutions.
Representing the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Esther Didi Walson-Jack, a Permanent Secretary, Nkiruka Jones-Nebo said; “women’s meaningful participation in decision-making makes institutions more responsive and strengthens national development.”
She called for transparent opportunities, mentoring, leadership development and the removal of structural barriers limiting women’s advancement.
The Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (rtd.), represented by his Special Adviser on Gender, Col. Nneka Adinweruka, said “national security must go beyond military operations to include communities, institutions, the economy, digital spaces and homes.”
“Security is not just for the military men; it is everyone’s business,” Musa said.
She stressed that women were not only victims of insecurity but also important contributors to early warning, conflict prevention, peacebuilding and national security.
Stronger Collaboration
The Minister called for stronger collaboration between security agencies and communities, urging a shift from reactive security operations to preventive and community-based approaches.
The stakeholders agreed that Nigeria’s security and development challenges require a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach, with women playing a greater role in decision-making, peacebuilding and national security.
There were severally key note addresses from partners and the unveiling of Empower Her For Governance Fellowship, an initiative of the host Mrs. Ebimoboere Elezieanya.
