The Minister of Women Affairs, Hajia Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, has reaffirmed the federal government’s commitment to advancing gender equality and social inclusion, stressing that Nigeria’s ambition of becoming a $1 trillion economy cannot be achieved without fully harnessing the potential of women, youth, and vulnerable groups.
Delivering her special remarks at the High-Level Ministerial Panel of the Gender and Inclusion Summit 2025 (GS-25) in Abuja, themed “New Voices and New Approaches for Accelerating an Inclusive Society”, the Minister said that gatherings such as the summit are crucial for shaping national development conversations, driving gender perspectives into decision-making, and amplifying marginalised voices.
She assured participants that the insights generated from the summit would not remain in “meeting rooms” but would directly influence frameworks, policies, and programmes under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
Hajia Sulaiman-Ibrahim highlighted the critical role of women in economic development, noting that while women own 43% of MSMEs in Nigeria, only 9% have access to formal credit. She also pointed out persistent barriers, including low female representation in leadership and the higher likelihood of rural girls being out of secondary school compared to boys.
“These are stark reminders of the barriers we must continue to confront. But they are also signals of where the greatest opportunities lie,” she stated.
The minister cited a World Bank study showing that closing the gender gap in labour force participation could add as much as $229 billion to Nigeria’s GDP by 2030, emphasising that women’s empowerment is both a moral imperative and an economic necessity.
Programmes under the Renewed Hope Agenda
She announced that the Ministry is implementing large-scale initiatives such as the Renewed Hope Social Impact Interventions – 774 (RH-SII774), already been rolled out in 18 states.
The programme supports women’s participation in agriculture, clean cooking, skill acquisition, empowerment, and market linkages, while also strengthening families through the Families First Initiative.
Plans are also underway to establish a National Care Economy Framework, which she described as key to unlocking the productive potential of millions of women and vulnerable households.
The Minister celebrated significant policy wins and societal shifts across the country, saying, “In Adamawa State, women can now own and inherit property, take part in traditional council decision-making, and cases of early child marriage are being addressed by a dedicated local court in Yola. Women also hold 100% of vice-chair positions across all 21 local governments, surpassing the 35% affirmative action benchmark.
“In Niger State, all local government vice-chairmanship seats are now reserved for women. In Rivers State, a 19-year-old recently won a councillorship seat, marking the rise of a new generation of female leaders.
“In the private sector, women now hold an estimated 22% of executive leadership positions, above the global average of 20%, and head over 40% of Nigeria’s key commercial banks.
“In sports, the Super Falcons won their 10th WAFCON title, while the women’s national basketball team secured a historic fifth consecutive FIBA Women’s AfroBasket Championship.
“These examples demonstrate not only resilience but also the transformative contributions of women when given the space to thrive,” she said.
Reinforcing the need for institutional change, the Minister advocated support for the Special Seats Bill for Women, which seeks to guarantee women’s representation in legislative chambers.
She stressed that women’s presence in decision-making shifts priorities toward education, health, and social protection.
She also underscored the importance of professionalising gender work, by building a cadre of certified gender experts to anchor institutions and ensure gender remains a central pillar in national planning, budgeting, and service delivery.
The Minister shared the story of a mother of four, a beneficiary of the Nigeria for Women Project, who previously relied on informal lenders at crippling 30% interest rates. Through the Women’s Affinity Group, she now accesses credit at 5% and earns enough to support her children’s education and wellbeing.
“That, Your Excellencies, is the true meaning of inclusion — not abstract theory, but the difference between hunger and hope, between survival and dignity,” she remarked.
As the summit continues, Hajia Sulaiman-Ibrahim urged stakeholders to hold themselves accountable to three key questions: “How can inclusion move from meeting rooms to measurable action across public and private institutions?
“What innovative mechanisms can guarantee that women, youth, children, and vulnerable groups are not left behind?
“How can government, civil society, the private sector, and development partners scale and embed proven models sustainably in national frameworks?
She praised the Policy Innovation Centre of the NESG and other partners for building what she described as Africa’s foremost marketplace of ideas for inclusion.
She emphasised that insights from GS-25 are invaluable for shaping frameworks and sharpening delivery within the Ministry of Women Affairs.
“As we look forward, our task is simple but urgent: to ensure that the energy and ideas from GS-25 are translated into measurable change,” she concluded, quoting Kofi Annan’s words: “There is no tool for development more effective than the empowerment of women.”
