By Usman Umar, Abuja.

Nigeria’s Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Suleiman-Ibrahim, has declared that the country’s ambition of becoming a $1 trillion economy will remain a mirage unless women are fully included in the nation’s political, social and economic life.

Speaking at the opening of the two-day Gender and Inclusion Summit 2025 in Abuja, convened by the Policy Innovation Centre and the Nigeria Economic Summit Group, Suleiman-Ibrahim said women — who constitute more than half of Nigeria’s population — continue to face systemic barriers that stifle their contribution to growth.

“Women own over 43% of small and medium enterprises in Nigeria, yet only 9% have access to formal credit,” she said. “Representation in leadership remains a staggering 3.7%. Girls in rural areas are still twice as likely to be out of school as boys. These are reminders of the barriers we must confront, but also signals of where the greatest opportunities lie.”

The minister outlined a string of initiatives under President Bola Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope” agenda, including a national care economy framework designed to unlock the “productive potential of millions of women and vulnerable households.” She also pointed to state-level breakthroughs, such as Adamawa’s decision to allow women to inherit land and hold local government leadership roles.

To underscore the stakes, she cited World Bank estimates that closing the gender gap in labour force participation could add $222bn to Nigeria’s GDP by 2030. “Empowering women fully is not charity. It is an economic necessity,” she said.

Beatrice Eyong, UN Women’s Country Representative in Nigeria, called for urgent action to ensure inclusion is not rhetorical but measurable. “We need the voices of widows, women living with disabilities, women living with HIV/AIDS,” she said. “Gender equality should not be regarded as an act of charity, but as sound economic policy.”

Eyong highlighted Nigeria’s progress on gender-responsive budgeting and affirmative procurement, noting that Lagos and Kaduna states now reserve 30% of public contracts for women entrepreneurs. She urged policymakers to confront the unpaid care burden borne by women, warning that unless addressed, “women will always remain poorer than men.”

Delivering the keynote address, Oley Dibba-Wadda, founder of the GAM Africa Institute for Leadership in Gambia, urged African women to reclaim their narratives in both traditional and digital spaces. She drew on her personal journey of writing memoirs that resonated with women across the continent.

“For too long, we have whispered our challenges behind closed doors,” she told delegates. “We must speak out, own our stories and take our power back. No one will hand it to us.”

She pointed to technology as a new frontier for women’s voices. “We live in an era where with just a smartphone, you can inspire change, mobilise communities, and hold governments accountable. Technology does not discriminate — it is a tool for inclusion if we dare to use it.”

The summit, which drew policymakers, business leaders and civil society representatives, is expected to generate policy recommendations aimed at embedding inclusion in Nigeria’s governance and economic frameworks.

As Suleiman-Ibrahim put it: “There is no tool for development more effective than the empowerment of women. The task before us is to turn conversations into measurable change.”

Nigeria’s Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Suleiman-Ibrahim, has declared that the country’s ambition of becoming a $1 trillion economy will remain a mirage unless women are fully included in the nation’s political, social and economic life.

Speaking at the opening of the two-day Gender and Inclusion Summit 2025 in Abuja, convened by the Policy Innovation Centre and the Nigeria Economic Summit Group, Suleiman-Ibrahim said women — who constitute more than half of Nigeria’s population — continue to face systemic barriers that stifle their contribution to growth.

“Women own over 43% of small and medium enterprises in Nigeria, yet only 9% have access to formal credit,” she said. “Representation in leadership remains a staggering 3.7%. Girls in rural areas are still twice as likely to be out of school as boys. These are reminders of the barriers we must confront, but also signals of where the greatest opportunities lie.”

The minister outlined a string of initiatives under President Bola Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope” agenda, including a national care economy framework designed to unlock the “productive potential of millions of women and vulnerable households.” She also pointed to state-level breakthroughs, such as Adamawa’s decision to allow women to inherit land and hold local government leadership roles.

To underscore the stakes, she cited World Bank estimates that closing the gender gap in labour force participation could add $222bn to Nigeria’s GDP by 2030. “Empowering women fully is not charity. It is an economic necessity,” she said.

Beatrice Eyong, UN Women’s Country Representative in Nigeria, called for urgent action to ensure inclusion is not rhetorical but measurable. “We need the voices of widows, women living with disabilities, women living with HIV/AIDS,” she said. “Gender equality should not be regarded as an act of charity, but as sound economic policy.”

Eyong highlighted Nigeria’s progress on gender-responsive budgeting and affirmative procurement, noting that Lagos and Kaduna states now reserve 30% of public contracts for women entrepreneurs. She urged policymakers to confront the unpaid care burden borne by women, warning that unless addressed, “women will always remain poorer than men.”

Delivering the keynote address, Oley Dibba-Wadda, founder of the GAM Africa Institute for Leadership in Gambia, urged African women to reclaim their narratives in both traditional and digital spaces. She drew on her personal journey of writing memoirs that resonated with women across the continent.

“For too long, we have whispered our challenges behind closed doors,” she told delegates. “We must speak out, own our stories and take our power back. No one will hand it to us.”

She pointed to technology as a new frontier for women’s voices. “We live in an era where with just a smartphone, you can inspire change, mobilise communities, and hold governments accountable. Technology does not discriminate — it is a tool for inclusion if we dare to use it.”

The summit, which drew policymakers, business leaders and civil society representatives, is expected to generate policy recommendations aimed at embedding inclusion in Nigeria’s governance and economic frameworks.

As Suleiman-Ibrahim put it: “There is no tool for development more effective than the empowerment of women. The task before us is to turn conversations into measurable change.”