Abuja: Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, has called for strategic collaboration with the Oil and Gas Free Zones Authority (OGFZA) to advance women’s economic empowerment across the country. She emphasized that this partnership would also promote clean cooking initiatives and drive an inclusive energy transition aimed at improving livelihoods and expanding sustainable opportunities for women nationwide.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, this call for collaboration was highlighted in a statement issued following a courtesy visit by OGFZA Managing Director, Bamanga Usman-Jada, to the minister. The visit was aimed at strengthening inter-agency cooperation and national development efforts. Sulaiman-Ibrahim commended OGFZA for its role in attracting investments and promoting industrial development, noting that its special economic zone model had gained global recognition for accelerating growth and drawing over 50 billion dollars into Nigeria.
Sulaiman-Ibrahim stressed that advancing women’s economic empowerment is central to the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. She highlighted that inclusive prosperity is vital for achieving sustainable national development and social stability. Empowering women, she noted, can address nearly 90 percent of societal challenges, including insecurity, by curbing social vices at the household level before they escalate into broader national crises.
The minister also emphasized that beyond capital inflows, OGFZA’s impact includes technology transfer, infrastructure expansion, job protection, and human capital development. She described these as critical pillars for sustainable economic growth and long-term national competitiveness. The visit, she noted, was timely, as her ministry was implementing comprehensive clean energy transition programs aligned with the President’s agenda to expand access to affordable and sustainable energy.
Sulaiman-Ibrahim further pointed out that women make up about 70 percent of the labor force within the agro-economy. She stressed that collaboration with OGFZA would boost productivity, enhance value chains, and strengthen Nigeria’s global economic competitiveness. She also praised OGFZA’s commitment to gender inclusivity, observing that the OGFZA delegation reflected strong female representation, which she described as encouraging and consistent with national gender equity objectives.
Earlier, Usman-Jada stated that OGFZA had attracted more than 50 billion dollars in investments since its inception, positioning Nigeria as a competitive destination for global oil and gas industry investors. He noted that the free zone model, successfully implemented in countries such as China, India, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, remains one of the world’s most effective economic growth strategies.
Usman-Jada highlighted that positions previously occupied by expatriates within the zones are increasingly being filled by Nigerians, reflecting improved local capacity, enhanced technical expertise, and strengthened knowledge transfer mechanisms. He further disclosed that women constituted about 70 percent of the workforce at the recently commissioned 150 million-dollar APM Terminal facility, underscoring OGFZA’s institutional commitment to workplace inclusivity. Additionally, he mentioned that investors operating within the zones are mandated to implement corporate social responsibility initiatives targeting women’s empowerment and youth development in host communities nationwide.