Nigeria Risks Deeper Economic Losses if Women Remain Excluded From Leadership — Minister

By Omoyeni Ojeifo

Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, has warned that Nigeria’s economic growth ambitions could remain under threat if women continue to face exclusion from leadership, governance and economic opportunities.

Speaking at the launch of the INSPIRE Initiative on Thursday, the minister called for bold institutional reforms to close gender gaps in the nation’s public service.

The event took place during the International Civil Service Conference at Eagle Square, Abuja.

Persecondnews reports that the INSPIRE initiative Inclusive Network for Supporting Progressive Leadership Innovation Reform and Equity for Women is aimed at expanding mentorship leadership development and advancement opportunities for women across the Federal Civil Service under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

Ibrahim described the continued marginalisation of women in strategic leadership positions as a costly setback to national productivity and development.

“Estimates indicate that women’s economic exclusion costs Nigeria up to 37% loss in productivity,” she said.

She noted that the initiative complements ongoing efforts by the Federal Government to build a more inclusive, efficient and future driven civil service capable of driving sustainable national transformation.

“Under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the greatest tool for sustainable and scalable transformational development of our nation is the empowerment of our women.”

The minister observed that although women constitute a significant share of the civil service workforce, their presence becomes increasingly limited at senior leadership and policy making levels.

“The higher the level of decision making, the thinner their representation becomes,” Ibrahim said.

According to her, the imbalance reflects deep rooted structural barriers that require intentional reforms, stronger institutional support and deliberate investment in women leadership pipelines.

“The INSPIRE project will complement ongoing reforms in ensuring that we create pathways for women to assume leadership roles to help address the existing gaps at the top level of the Civil Service,” she added.

Ibrahim also advocated full implementation of the six month maternity leave policy, workplace childcare systems, gender responsive budgeting and stricter enforcement of anti harassment measures across institutions.

She further commended the First Lady, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu, for sustaining advocacy for women focused reforms, and the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, for spearheading the INSPIRE initiative.