A gender consultant at Albright Stone Bridge Group, Mrs Rinmicit Temlong, has stated that if Nigerian women participated in the workforce at the same level as men, the Nigerian GDP could grow by $229 billion over a decade.
Mrs Temlong stated this while speaking at the 24th Regular National Council on Women Affairs with the theme “Renewed Hope Agenda: Promoting Women’s Economic Empowerment, Health, Education, and Justice for Global Competitiveness and Relevance” in Jos, Plateau State.
She pointed out that despite women making up 49.3 per cent of the Nigerian population, they face significant economic barriers such as poverty, land ownership, and digital access, adding that on education, just 53 per cent of firms completed secondary school as against 67 per cent of boys.
The gender consultant added that the national WEE policy and action plan was a powerful tool for transforming Nigeria’s economy by empowering women.
The Permanent Secretary Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, Amb. Gabriel Tanimu Aduda, stated that the national women’s economic empowerment (WEE) policy, if fully domesticated and implemented, will serve as a game-changer in addressing women’s development issues in Nigeria.
Aduda acknowledged what makes the policy different is that, for the first time, we are embracing a comprehensive, multi-sectoral approach to women’s economic empowerment. “It spans sectors like financial inclusion, agriculture, economy, procurement, and social services.”
According to the permanent secretary, previously, empowerment efforts were often isolated, resulting in fragmented initiatives with limited impact, adding that the WEE Policy provides a coordinated framework from the federal level to states, local governments, and even ward levels.
“This coordination will ensure that resources and efforts across all levels align towards the same goals, resulting in better-directed funds, more effective budgeting, and ultimately, a stronger impact on women’s economic empowerment.”
“We’re seeing significant progress in some states like Kaduna, Kano, and Lagos, which have been particularly proactive. These states have advanced the policy through their state assemblies, with some bills already awaiting gubernatorial assent. At the federal level, we continue to advocate for domestication in all 36 states and the FCT.”
Also speaking, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Eden Venture Group, Fifehan Osikanlu, pointed out that her group is collaborating with the Albright Stonebridge Group to amplify communications around the domestication efforts being carried out nationwide.
Sharing this information with family, friends, and communities is crucial because civic awareness empowers individuals to understand their rights and engage with the government to uphold them.
She added that the #WEELiftNaija initiative was dedicated to empowering Nigerian women.
through the National Policy on Women’s Economic Empowerment (WEE) by collaborating with national, state, and local stakeholders, adding that the aim was to enable more women to make decisions that impact their lives directly.
“This policy targets gender gaps that prevent women from reaching their full potential, particularly in financial inclusion, education, digital access, and economic participation. The main aim is to have the policy domesticated and implemented in the 36 states of Nigeria with the cooperation of the Nigeria Governors Spouses Forum.”
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