President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has celebrated women on International Women’s Day, emphasizing their crucial role in shaping Nigeria’s progress. Tinubu’s administration has launched several initiatives to empower women, including the Renewed Hope Social Impact Interventions 774, which aims to provide livelihood support, enterprise development services, and social protection to women across the country.
The Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, highlighted the government’s commitment to gender equality, citing the expansion of national social safety net programs, which now cover over 9.4 million households, with women accounting for more than 70% of primary beneficiaries.
First Lady Oluremi Tinubu emphasized that empowering women is not an act of charity, but an investment in Nigeria’s collective future. She encouraged women to mentor and empower each other, stressing that such collaboration strengthens families, communities, and the nation.
The government’s efforts have yielded significant progress, with 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory adopting the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) law or equivalent legislation, up from 15 in 2015. The administration has also launched the National Action Plan to End Violence Against Children and developed over 43 policies, guidelines, and draft bills to strengthen gender equality and child protection systems.
Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, urged increased investment in women, citing the potential for far-reaching benefits in economic, social, and political advancement. He commended Tinubu for demonstrating commitment to gender inclusion through appointments and initiatives.
The UN Women Representative to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Beatrice Eyong, praised the government’s efforts, emphasizing that empowering women is smart economics. She highlighted the four pillars of UN Women’s work: women’s leadership, economic empowerment, GBV eradication, and women, peace, and security.
As Nigeria celebrates International Women’s Day, the message is clear: investing in women is investing in the nation’s future. With initiatives like EmpowerHer774 and Women Agro-Value Expansion, Nigeria is taking steps towards a brighter, more inclusive future.