•Launches project #SheIsIncluded to bridge gender gaps in finance, economy
•UBA’s Alawuba: gender inclusion will break barrier of poverty, stagnation in Nigeria
CHIGOZIE AMADI
Vice President Kashim Shettima on Thursday declared that women will be at the forefront of Africa’s projected $29 trillion economic transformation.
Shettima said the project was geared towards advancing gender equality and women’s economic empowerment. He expressed strong conviction that gender inclusion was not merely a rhetorical commitment but the cornerstone of Nigeria’s national development agenda.
The vice president spoke at the Banquet Hall of State House, Abuja, when he declared open the 2025 Gender Inclusion Conference and launched Project #SheIsIncluded to bridge gender gaps in finance and the broader economy.
Speaking at the same event, Chairman of the Body of Banks’ CEOs and Group Managing Director (GMD) of United Bank for Africa (UBA), Mr. Oliver Alawuba, declared that Nigeria’s bold moves to promote gender inclusion, will serve as panacea for breaking the barriers of poverty and economic stagnation in the country, if properly implemented.
Alawuba said through such “forward-thinking policies and strategic interventions, this administration is paving the way for a Nigeria where every citizen, regardless of gender, has the opportunity to thrive.”
The conference, themed, “Breaking Barriers, Building Resilience for Sustainable Women’s Economic and Financial Inclusion,” builds on the 2024 Aso Accord for Economic and Financial Inclusion, and underscores Nigeria’s commitment to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 5, which focuses on gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls.
The vice president stated, “We cannot build the Nigeria or Africa we envision without fully integrating women into our economic systems. Women are not just participants in our economy; they are leaders, innovators, and the bedrock of sustainable development.”
According to Shettima, Project #SheIsIncluded is built on four key pillars of education and financial literacy; maternal healthcare; gender-sensitive policies and programme; and expanded economic opportunities for women.
He also announced that the initiative will reach all 774 local government areas across Nigeria to ensure that no woman was left behind.
Shettima stated, “Our commitment to gender inclusion is not a cosmetic performance to placate the sensibilities of progressives; it is a fundamental pillar of our national development agenda.
“We are not just assuring the women of Nigeria of their place in our collective journey – we are creating the pathways for them to lead the charge.”
He explained that the project “is not just about meeting quotas – it is about unlocking the full potential of our people to drive the broader economic goals of His Excellency, President Bola Tinubu’s administration”.
Shettima said the initiative will be spearheaded by the Presidential Committee on Economic and Financial Inclusion, in partnership with the Ministry of Women Affairs.
The vice president stressed, “To build an inclusive economic ecosystem where all Nigerians, regardless of gender, can contribute and benefit, we must redouble our efforts and align with global best practices.
“We must be relentless in our pursuit of Sustainable Development Goal 5 – achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls.”
He emphasised that the two-day conference was more than just a forum for discussion, saying it is an avenue for serious reflection and practical strategising on how to build an inclusive nation.
Shettima urged both public and private sector stakeholders to take the opportunity to outline actionable steps towards active participation in the gender inclusion agenda.
“I look forward to the recommendations that will emerge from this conference, knowing that they will shape the future of gender inclusion in Nigeria,” the vice president added.
Earlier, Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere- Ekun, said the conference was an important milestone in the collective effort to outline ways of breaking barriers to empowering women and promoting inclusion.
Kekere- Ekun said gender inclusion was a key enabler of sustainable development and central to addressing poverty and fostering economic growth. She stated that gender inclusion should translate into financial independence, wealth creation, and leadership development for women across different sectors.
The CJN assured that the judiciary will work in partnership with stakeholders to ensure that the rights of women to access economic resources and ownership of property, among others, were protected and not subjected to the dictates of individuals or obsolete cultural practices and stereotypes.
In a recorded video message to the occasion, Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations, Dr. Amina Mohammed, said the conference marked a critical step towards Nigeria’s journey to gender inclusion, women empowerment, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
She said gender equality and inclusion were not just an aspiration but a foundation for sustainable development, peace, and development across the world.
Mohammed urged stakeholders to invest in women’s empowerment, stating that when women are empowered, communities prosper, economies grow, and societies advance.
Also speaking, Deputy Chief of Staff to the President (Office of the Vice President), Senator Ibrahim Hadejia, said the vice president’s support and push for inclusive growth resonated with everything that he had done since assuming office and was central to the agenda of the National Economic Council (NEC).
Hadejia said the “She’s Included” Conference was aimed at breaking barriers, challenging stereotypes, and building systems that support women’s empowerment across the country. It was also meant to serve as a model for gender equity in Nigeria, providing a guide to subsequent efforts and interventions aimed at integrating and empowering women across the country and beyond.
Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman Ibrahim, said the conference offered a unique opportunity to strengthen strategic frameworks for dismantling barriers towards the actualisation of all women empowerment programmes and initiatives.
Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State said the goals of the conference aligned with the agenda of the state government on gender and economic inclusion, targeting women and vulnerable groups through the Kaduna State policy on women empowerment.
Sani highlighted programmes by the state government that had impacted women across agriculture, commerce, and different areas of the MSMEs. He stated that the time had come to remove all impediments to women’s empowerment and inclusion.
Jigawa State Governor, Umar Namadi, said given the position of women in the society, empowering them was an imperative and a step in the right direction that must be sustained.
Namadi declared that Jigawa in realisation of this great potential had placed itself as a champion and model for women empowerment in Nigeria.
He said girl-child education in the state was free at all levels and was tracked across the state. He said it was a deliberate policy of the state government to stimulate and improve rural economy.
Speaking in the same vein, Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, commended the conveners for the initiative, saying it is a call to action.
Okpebholo said his administration was deliberate about pursuing policies on inclusion and uplifting of women with the aim of harnessing their productive potentials.
Giving an overview of the conference, Technical Adviser to the President on Economic and Financial Inclusion, Dr. Nurudeen Zauro, said the conference presented a formidable platform for transformation, alignment of goals, sharing of insights, and designing of actionable plans that will break barriers and build resilience that will lead to financial inclusion across the country.
Founder/GMD Moniepoint Microfinance Bank, Mr. Tosin Eniolorunda, said inclusion must be at the core of the strategy to build a trillion-naira economy.
Eniolorunda emphasised the need to support the “She’sIncluded” initiative.
He said inclusion was not a charity but an economic imperative.
Eniolorunda said empowering women was akin to driving economic growth. He described women as economic drivers, assuring that Moneipoint remains committed to the actualisation of the ideals of women’s inclusion initiative.
In his remarks, Chairman of the Body of Banks’ CEOs and GMD/CEO of UBA Group, Mr. Oliver Alawuba, commended the vice president’s office for convening the first conference on gender inclusion, stating that it is a clear testament to the Tinubu administration’s commitment to fostering and supporting an inclusive society.
He stated that through such “forward-thinking policies and strategic interventions, this administration is paving the way for a Nigeria where every citizen, regardless of gender, has the opportunity to thrive”.
He added, “This is not merely an event – it is a movement, a declaration, and a promise to the current generation and to those yet unborn.
“Nigerian women are said to account for 70 per cent of the country’s extremely poor, even though they comprise only 49.3 percent of the general population
“Despite the current federal government efforts, gender gap in economic participation and opportunity remains a significant concern, as women’s labour force participation rate stands at 56 per cent, compared to 80 per cent for men, highlighting a substantial disparity in workforce representation.
“This is as gender wage gap remains a stark reality, with women earning 45 per cent less than men in similar roles.
“The entrepreneurship, which is also often considered as key avenue for economic empowerment, also indicates that women face barriers, with Women-owned businesses in Nigeria accounting for 41 per cent of enterprises, even as they tend to be smaller in scale and face challenges in accessing financing and market opportunities. This hampers their growth potential and limits their economic impact.”
Alawuba said the theme of the conferenece resonated deeply with the urgent realities that Nigeria faced today.
Using the United Bank for Africa Plc as an example, he said, “We know this truth first-hand. With nearly 50 per cent of our Board Members being women, 40 per cent of Senior Management roles held by women, and 59 per cent of our Graduate Management Trainees being female, we have witnessed first-hand how inclusive leadership drives unprecedented growth and innovation across our 24-country footprint.
“It challenges us to confront the systems and structures that have, for too long, held back half of our population. It calls us to rewrite the narrative, to ignite a transformation that empowers every woman to take her rightful place as a builder of homes, businesses, economies, and nations.
“Make no mistake: gender inclusion is not charity – it is smart economics. Studies from across the globe show that nations that embrace gender parity experience exponential growth in productivity, innovation, and sustainability.”
