• Super Admin
• 07 Mar, 2026

As Nigeria prepares to lead at the 70th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70), scheduled for March 9-19, Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, flagged off International Women's Day and Women's Month 2026 activities during a high-profile press briefing at the Federal Ministry. Framing the event as a "reckoning with the distance we have travelled" and a recommitment to transformative action, the Minister positioned Nigeria's delegation -- coordinated with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and UN Mission -- as a strong voice for Africa on gender equality and poverty reduction. Speaking under the global theme "Rights. Justice. Action. For All Women and Girls" and campaign slogan "Give to Gain," Sulaiman-Ibrahim emphasised how empowering women yields massive economic returns. "The global evidence is clear: every dollar invested in women's economic empowerment generates between seven and twelve dollars in economic returns," she stated. "For Nigeria, the International Finance Corporation estimates that closing the gender financing gap for women-owned SMEs would unlock $14.8 billion in annual economic value. Bridging the gender gap is therefore an economic necessity and critical to the achievement of Mr President's ambition of a 1 trillion-dollar economy." From the CSW70 lens, the Minister highlighted Nigeria's readiness to advance enforceable justice and measurable progress. The country will advocate for global norms on women's rights, positioning itself to speak for the African States Group. This comes amid President Bola Tinubu's declaration of 2026 as the Year of Families and Social Development, placing women, children, families, and vulnerable groups at the heart of the Renewed Hope Agenda. "Nations rise when vision meets action, when leadership chooses discipline over delay, and when policy translates into protection and opportunity," Sulaiman-Ibrahim declared. "Today, Nigeria stands at such a pivotal moment." The detailed sweeping accomplishments, crediting President Tinubu's leadership for expanding social protection from fewer than one million households in 2015 to over 9.4 million by 2026, with women as 70% of primary beneficiaries. "This represents one of the most significant social protection expansions in Nigeria's post-independence history," she noted. Sulieman-Ibrahim listed key milestones recorded to include full national coverage of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act (VAPP), now domesticated in all 36 states and the FCT -- up from just 15 in 2015 -- through federal advocacy and state commitment. The Ministry has also shifted beyond traditional programming, establishing a Nutrition Department and advancing over 43 policies, SOPs, draft bills, and guidelines on gender equality, child protection, GBV response, and social welfare. The minister stated further that notable launches encompass the Third National Action Plan on UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security, placing Nigeria among global leaders; the National Action Plan to End Violence Against Children, prioritising safe schools, alternative care, legal reforms, and a National Child Protection Database; revival of the Presidential High-Level Advisory Council on Women and Girls; and review of the National Child Protection Policy after 18 years. She hailed the flagship Renewed Hope Social Impact Interventions 774 as Nigeria's largest investment in women's empowerment, saying it represents a comprehensive collection of initiatives spanning livelihood support, clean energy, finance, digital inclusion, and social protection across all 774 local government areas. These include the EmpowerHer774 Programme, a nationwide rollout providing tools, capital, training, and opportunities for women entrepreneurs; the Nigeria for Women Programme -- Scale-Up (NFWP-SU), a World Bank-supported expansion reaching 4.5 million women via 300,000 women's collectives for savings and enterprise; and the Women Agro-Value Expansion (WAVE) & Farm-to-Feed Initiative, which boosts women farmers' access to inputs, processing, and markets to cut losses and increase earnings. Further efforts cover the PowerHer774 & Women in Gas (WINGS) Programmes deploying solar systems and clean cooking tech while training women as energy entrepreneurs; the Women-on-Wheels Initiative with CREDICORP-backed mobility assets for logistics and trade; the Women-Led MSME Expansion mobilising ₦500 billion in finance for women-owned businesses; the Family First Project and Care Economy Reforms advancing nationwide childcare, parenting support, and recognition of unpaid care work; the National Action Plan on Ending Gender-Based Violence with expanded Sexual Assault Referral Centres, including a recent launch in Abia State; the Happy Woman App as a digital platform linking women to finance, training, markets, and protection; and President-approved Affirmative Procurement boosting women-led businesses in public contracts. "These interventions reflect Mr President's sharp focus on translating policy into measurable impact and building the next generation of women leaders, entrepreneurs, innovators, and change-makers," the Minister affirmed. Acknowledging gaps, Sulaiman-Ibrahim noted Nigeria's 50 Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs) -- doubled from 28 in 2019 but far short of the 500 needed for a 200-million population. "Expanding access to survivor-centred services and strengthening prevention and response systems therefore remain urgent priorities," she said. She also called for the Reserved Special Seats Bill to boost women's political representation, alongside mentorship pipelines. Praising partners like the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) -- the agency responsible for assessing, collecting, and accounting for tax revenues for the Federal Government of Nigeria, the Nigerian Customs Service, development agencies, private sector, and civil society, the Minister urged the media to center on women's stories. "Your role in informing citizens, highlighting reform, and promoting transparency remains indispensable. We urge you to continue covering the stories of women not as margin notes to national life, but as the central chapters they truly are." In their good will messages, Senior Special Assistant to President on Media and Publicity, Tope Ajayi, affirmed President Tinubu's backing for the Minister of Women Affairs. "I'm here to deliver a good will message and to assure you that our president himself is behind you, he supports what you are doing because you have demonstrated that you are a capable minister and you are carrying the women of Nigeria along in what you are doing in terms of empowerment, in terms of education." President of the National Council of Women Societies (NCWS) Nigeria, Edna Azurah, pledged unwavering support. "You are doing a great work," she stated, promising mobilization: "As the president of the National Council of Women's Society in Nigeria, I promise you we are there with you at night, in the day, in the evening, every time to mobilize Nigerian women for you so that we can achieve, so that we rise to the standard, so that by your work we will achieve our 35% affirmative action and even rise to the next level." Head of the EU Delegation in Nigeria, Gunther McNaughton, on his part emphasised global benefits. "International Women's Day is not only on March 8th, it must be every day of the year. And International Women's Day is not only to the benefit of women and girls, but to the benefit of the whole society, to the benefit of men and boys also," he declared. McNaughton congratulated the Minister: "Science has shown... that mixed groups perform better than single gender groups." Minister of State for Education, Suweiba Ahmed, hailed President Tinubu's priorities. "Nigerian women can relax, they can smile, and they can be happy. Because the number one president... President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has the Nigerian woman at his side. It's a priority for him," she said. Minister of State for Labour, Honourable Nkiruka Onyejeocha, rallied for legislative action on reserved seats. "We have President Bola Tinubu, who decided that, yes, we can push additional seats, call it reserved seats bill... Nigerian women, you can," she urged, vowing resilience amid calls for women-only seats in assemblies. Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, stressed inclusivity. "Under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu and his renewed Hope Agenda... he has placed social protection, inclusiveness, including women... at the heart," he noted. Edun commended the host: "Let me commend the Honorable Minister for Women Affairs and her entire team... together we can build a more inclusive... Nigeria." UN Women Representative to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Beatrice Eyong, praised the minister's leadership: "Last year she did what we have not yet seen before... Nigerian women were there (CSW69)... the voice of Nigeria was heard." She emphasized empowerment's economic impact: "Empowering women is not charity... When women can earn income, households rise. When women lead, institutional strengthening... And when she gains, Nigeria grows." Outlining UN Women's priorities aligned with Nigeria's National Gender Policy, Eyong highlighted four areas: women's leadership (backing the special seats bill), economic empowerment, ending gender-based violence, and women in peace and security. "Any peace process that does not include women will not stand for long. But when women are involved... that peace will last longer," she stated. UNFPA Country Representative for Nigeria, Muriel Mafico, on her part congratulated the minister and highlighted UNFPA's focus areas amid Nigeria's progress in policies and programs. Mafico outlined three priorities: "The first one is that of the health of mothers and our belief is that no woman should die when giving life. The second area of is that of gender-based violence. That every woman and girl should live free from violence. The third one has to do with making sure that we have the right policies that are evidence-based so that we invest our resources where it matters most." She acknowledged gaps while urging action: "While we acknowledge the progress that has been made, it is also true that our work is not yet over... Leadership matters. And your presence, along with all the other leaders, is testimony to what can be achieved when leadership leads... Partnerships for impact, that is what we represent and that is what we are here to pledge." Source: https://thesun.ng/nigeria-gears-up-for-csw70-with-bold-push-for-womens-rights-justice-action/