Abuja: The Federal Government has called on stakeholders to transition from mere rhetoric to tangible and coordinated action to empower women and girls. Minister of Women Affairs, Mrs. Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, delivered this appeal during discussions at the Presidential High-Level Advisory Council (P-HLAC) on the Support of Women and Girls in Nigeria, held in Abuja. The event was attended by ministers, traditional leaders, civil society organizations (CSOs), and other stakeholders, all aiming to strengthen national dialogue and strategic collaboration to advance women’s empowerment across all sectors.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Sulaiman-Ibrahim described the gathering as a critical moment for reflection and recommitment, while acknowledging significant barriers hindering the advancement of women and girls in Nigeria. She noted, “Women make up over 50 percent of Nigeria’s population, yet they account for only 33 percent of the labor force, and less than 10 percent occupy senior management or board positions. Nearly 44 percent of girls are married before the age of 18, six out of every 10 out-of-school children are girls, and maternal mortality remains among the highest globally.”
The Minister outlined the Ministry’s strategy, anchored under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, focusing on economic empowerment, social protection, gender-based violence, and other areas. She emphasized the need for approximately ?1.6 trillion over five years to fully implement this roadmap, highlighting the importance of strong partnerships, domestic resource mobilization, private capital, and increased collaboration with development partners to ensure no woman or girl is left behind.
Sulaiman-Ibrahim also highlighted the role of the P-HLAC as a high-level, multi-sectoral platform approved by the Federal Executive Council to drive coordinated policy action. “This council brings together government, private sector, civil society, traditional and faith institutions, and youth to unlock resources, track solutions, and deliver measurable improvements for women and girls. Our success will be measured not by the number of meetings, but by how many state budgets reflect our priorities, how federal decisions align with our guidance, and how effectively we engage the private sector,” she said.
The Minister issued three key calls to action, including consolidating political ownership by activating the council’s four thematic subcommittees: Women’s Economic Empowerment, Women’s Health, Women’s Rights and Safety, and Women in Politics and Leadership.
Professor Muhammad Ali-Pate, Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, emphasized the establishment of the P-HLAC as a means to revitalize the council and align fragmented initiatives under one strategic, high-level framework. He stressed the importance of empowering women and girls not just for gender equity, but for demographic potential, better health outcomes, and economic growth. Ali-Pate highlighted the administration’s whole-of-life-course approach under the Renewed Hope Agenda, noting critical issues such as gender-based violence, child marriage, and unequal access to nutrition, education, and healthcare.
The Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination, Hadiza Bala Usma, underscored the importance of performance tracking to drive improvement. Similarly, Dr. Zainab Ibrahim, Deputy Women’s Leader of APC and IPAC, emphasized the urgent need for increased political inclusion of women, criticizing the low level of female representation in legislative assemblies.
Rinmicit Temlong-Abokei, Gender Lead at the DGA of Albright Stonebridge Group, reinforced the council’s focus areas with supporting data. Despite progress, she noted that Nigerian women face structural barriers, including unpaid care work and limited financial inclusion, although acknowledging Nigeria’s improvement in global economic inclusion rankings.
The Presidential High-Level Advisory Council reinforced Nigeria’s renewed commitment to gender equality and inclusive development, marking a strategic shift from declarations to measurable actions, aiming to ensure that Nigerian women and girls are not only heard but empowered in all spheres of society.