Nigeria's Women Affairs Minister Advocates for Economic Growth and Empowerment at CSW70
At the second edition of Nigerian Women Day held during the 70th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70), Nigeria's Minister for Women Affairs, Hajia Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, delivered a powerful message emphasizing that transforming women's lives requires sustained investment, strong partnerships, and coordinated action.
Event Organization and Theme
Organized by the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development under Sulaiman-Ibrahim's leadership, the event brought together global leaders, ministers, diplomats, civil society leaders, gender advocates, entrepreneurs, artists, and members of the Nigerian diaspora for a full day of dialogue, culture, and high-level action. The event was themed "31 Years of Progress, Resilience, Impact and Renewed Hope," marking Nigeria's commitment to advancing gender equality on the world stage and asserting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's mandate on women's rights, family resilience, and inclusive development.
Renewed Hope Framework and Call to Action
Drawing on Nigeria's nine-pillar Renewed Hope Social Impact Interventions 774 (RH-SII-774) framework, Sulaiman-Ibrahim outlined the Ministry's ambition to reach women across all 774 Local Government Areas of Nigeria through targeted interventions in:
- Energy access
- Agriculture
- Digital inclusion
- Health and protection
- Creativity and innovation
- Leadership
- Education
- Child development
- Family resilience
The Minister set out a six-point call to action for governments, development partners, and civil society, demanding greater investment, stronger coordination, and an end to declarations without delivery. She stated emphatically: "Transforming women's lives at scale requires sustained investment, strong partnerships, and coordinated action. There is an urgent need for greater investment in women and girls, both domestically and globally. Women's empowerment is not a social programme; it is an economic strategy, a security strategy, and a development imperative."
Key Interventions and Additional Perspectives
In her address, Chair of the Board of Directors of Women Radio WFM 91.7, Toun Okewale Sonaiya, stressed the need to rebuild Nigeria's image and future through collective action, particularly for women, children, families, and vulnerable groups. She outlined key intervention areas including:
- Clean energy access through PowerHer774
- Agricultural enterprise under WAVE
- Child welfare support
- Digital literacy
- Women's health
- Entrepreneurship through the Women Economic Village
- Women's political participation via SheRuns
- Safe spaces for survivors of violence
- Family-centred support systems
Sonaiya emphasized that sustainable transformation will require funding, skills, expertise, youth participation, diaspora engagement, and strong accountability structures. She endorsed the administration's women-focused agenda as intentional and deserving of support while urging stronger collaboration with young people and Nigerians abroad to accelerate delivery.
High-Level Conversations and Panel Sessions
A fireside conversation between Minister Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim and United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohamed wove together Nigeria's national ambitions with the global gender equality agenda. Participants engaged both leaders on the most pressing challenges and opportunities facing women and girls across Africa and the world.
Three panel sessions were conducted during the event:
- Global Leadership, Peace & Security for Social Impact
- Women, Institutions & The Economy
- Positive Masculinity
These conversations centered around women leading at the intersection of governance, peace, and global institutions, charting pathways for women's economic leadership, and exploring how men can become active architects of gender justice.
Distinguished Participants
The event featured numerous distinguished speakers including Minister of State for Labour and Productivity Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, National Population Commission Chairman Dr. Aminu Yusuf, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Water Resources Dr. Emanso Emabong, AIG Aisha Abubakar Baju, PhD, Presidents of Officers' Wives Associations, senior female officers from paramilitary establishments, Her Regal Majesty Olori Temitope Ogunwusi, and ActionAid Nigeria Country Director Andrew Mamedu.
Other notable participants included Dame Pauline K. Tallen, Abosede George-Ogan of WILAN, Enene Ejembi of Verbatim Virtual Solutions, Kafeel Olabiyi-Shittu of the Bank of Industry, Dr. Anino Emuwa of 100 Women@Davos, Taraba State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Child Development Mary Jandora Sinjen, Ambassador Bolaji Akinremi, National Human Rights Commission Executive Secretary Dr. Tony Ojukwu, and representatives from the Nigerian diaspora community.
The comprehensive gathering demonstrated Nigeria's serious commitment to advancing women's rights and economic empowerment through concrete strategies and international collaboration at the highest levels of global discourse on gender equality.
