FG Unveils Gender Equality Roadmap, Calls for Greater Empowerment of Women

The Federal Government has launched the Nigeria Gender Profile and Roadmap to Equality 2030, a strategic framework aimed at accelerating gender equality, social inclusion, and the empowerment of women and girls across the country.

Speaking at the unveiling ceremony in Abuja today, the Minister of Women Affairs, Hon. Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, emphasized the need for stronger commitment and coordinated action to address gender disparities and create equal opportunities for all Nigerians.

She described gender equality as both a social justice and economic development imperative, noting that sustainable national growth cannot be achieved when women and girls are denied opportunities to realize their full potential.

According to the minister, the newly launched Gender Profile provides comprehensive data and evidence on the status of women and girls in Nigeria, highlighting progress made as well as existing gaps in education, healthcare, economic participation, governance, and social inclusion.

“The roadmap offers a clear pathway for addressing these challenges and advancing policies that promote equality, dignity, and opportunity for all,” she said.

Sulaiman-Ibrahim stressed that empowering women through education, quality healthcare, entrepreneurship, and leadership opportunities would strengthen families, boost economic productivity, and contribute significantly to national development.

She also underscored the importance of recognizing and supporting unpaid care work carried out by women, describing it as a critical yet often undervalued contribution to the nation’s economy and social well-being.

Representing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the event, a senior government official reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to inclusive governance and sustainable development. The representative noted that women, children, persons with disabilities, and other vulnerable groups remain central to the Federal Government’s development agenda.

The representative commended the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and its development partners for producing a policy framework designed to guide gender-responsive planning and implementation efforts through 2030.

Development partners welcomed the launch of the roadmap, describing it as a significant milestone in Nigeria’s pursuit of inclusive growth.

Representatives of the World Bank highlighted gender equality as a key driver of economic transformation, poverty reduction, and national prosperity. They stressed that societies achieve stronger outcomes when women have equal access to education, healthcare, finance, and economic opportunities.

Similarly, officials of the African Development Bank (AfDB) pledged continued support for initiatives aimed at promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment in Nigeria. They described the roadmap as a valuable tool for evidence-based policymaking and strategic intervention.

Stakeholders from civil society organizations called for effective implementation of the roadmap, increased public awareness, and the translation of policy documents into local languages to ensure wider understanding and participation.

They also advocated stronger monitoring and evaluation systems, improved gender-disaggregated data collection, and enhanced accountability mechanisms to track progress and measure impact.

Participants further emphasized the need for adequate funding, sustained political commitment, and gender-responsive budgeting across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to ensure the successful realization of the roadmap’s objectives.

The discussions also highlighted the importance of stronger collaboration among government institutions, development partners, civil society groups, and the private sector to maximize resources and avoid duplication of efforts.

Earlier in her welcome address, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, Mrs. Esuabana Nko Asanye, described the launch as a major step towards advancing equality, inclusion, and sustainable development in Nigeria.

She noted that the roadmap would serve as a guide for collective action aimed at building stronger families, resilient communities, and a more prosperous nation by 2030.

Mrs. Asanye expressed appreciation to development partners, including the African Development Bank, for their support in developing the Gender Profile and Roadmap to Equality 2030 and urged stakeholders to work together to translate policy commitments into measurable results.

At the end of the event, stakeholders unanimously agreed that achieving gender equality requires sustained collaboration, adequate investment, strong political will, and active participation from all sectors of society.

They expressed confidence that the roadmap would serve as a catalyst for transformative change and help create a future where every Nigerian, regardless of gender, enjoys equal opportunities to thrive and contribute to national development.

By Sophina Ovuike, Abuja 

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