Nigeria has reiterated its strong commitment to advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment as the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hon. Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, presented the nation’s renewed vision at the Global Leaders’ Meeting on Women in Beijing, China.
Speaking on behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Minister Sulaiman-Ibrahim commended China and UN Women for convening the high-level dialogue marking 30 years of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. She described the event, themed “One Shared Future: New and Accelerated Process for Women’s All-Round Development,” as a vital moment to move from policy to practice in realizing women’s rights.
The Minister outlined Nigeria’s ongoing initiatives under the Renewed Hope Agenda, including the National Gender Policy (2021–2026), the Women’s Economic Empowerment Policy (2023), the National Policy on Ending Child Marriage, and the Third National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security (2025–2030). #
She noted that these frameworks aim to expand opportunities, strengthen resilience, and attract sustainable investments for women and families.
To ensure tangible impact, she announced the rollout of the Renewed Hope Social Impact Interventions (RH-SII-774) — a nationwide program operating across all 774 local government areas, targeting women-centered development, child protection, and family welfare.
Minister Sulaiman-Ibrahim also highlighted Nigeria’s desire for new technical collaborations, especially drawing lessons from China’s achievements in lifting women out of poverty. She underscored the need for Nigerian women to take the lead in emerging sectors such as the green economy, digital innovation, and creative industries.
The Minister revealed that Nigeria requires $1.2 billion in the next five years to bridge financing gaps that hinder women’s empowerment. The government, she said, is exploring blended finance and private sector partnerships to close this gap.
“Empowering women is not charity — it is an investment in productivity, peace, and shared prosperity,” she stated. “Our goal is that no woman is unseen, no girl unheard, and no family left behind.”
Nigeria’s delegation included Hon. Kafilat Ogbara, Chair of the House Committee on Women Affairs; Barr. Sweet Okundaye, Director of Legal Services; Hajiya Zainab Ibrahim, APC Deputy National Woman Leader; Princess Atika Ajanah of the North Central Development Commission; Moremi Ojodu, SSAP on Community Engagement (South West); Modupe Oyekunle of Mastcraft Resource Centre; and Princess Jummai Idonije, Special Assistant (Technical) to the Minister.
The forum gathered leaders and representatives from over 100 countries to strengthen global collaboration toward achieving inclusive, sustainable progress for women and girls
