Tinubu says women are key to achieving $1tn economy target

President Bola Tinubu has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to women’s empowerment.

Speaking through Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, minister of women affairs and social development, at the Voice of Women Conference & Awards (VOW2025) in Abuja, Tinubu said Nigerian women are the “heartbeat of the nation”.

The president said women remain central to the renewed hope agenda and are vital to achieving his one trillion-dollar economy vision.

“Nigerian women are undaunted, unyielding, and rising to shape a future of equity and progress,” Tinubu said.

The conference, held at the NAF Conference Centre, brought together policymakers, legislators, development partners, and global voices under the theme ‘Nigerian Women and the Power of Collective Action’.

The event coincided with Nigeria’s 65th independence anniversary, underscoring the role of women in the country’s journey and future.

In her keynote address, Sulaiman-Ibrahim traced women’s leadership from the Aba Women’s Protest of 1929 to the fight for democracy in the 1990s, saying their contribution to nation-building remains unmatched.

She decried women’s low representation in governance and called for swift passage of the Reserved Seats Bill.

“This is not an act of benevolence but an act of justice and strategic necessity. Democracy without women is incomplete,” Sulaiman-Ibrahim.

On her part, Toun Okewale-Sonaiya, convener of the VOW Conference, urged women to transform their numerical strength at the polls into political power through unity and strategic collective action.

“Women are the largest and most powerful voting bloc. It’s time we transform this individual strength into a unified force. When women support women, we become the decisive power that shapes governance,” Okewale-Sonaiya said.

She urged the president and national assembly to deliver on the Reserved Seats Bill, describing it as critical to Nigeria’s democratic integrity and global standing.

Also speaking at the event, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, former South African deputy president and UN Women executive director, called for men’s active participation in advancing gender equality.

“Africa cannot win its future without women, and women cannot lead without men who share the vision of an inclusive society. The world is watching Nigeria, and Nigeria must not lag behind,” Mlambo-Ngcuka said.

She urged leaders to turn commitments into measurable action for women and girls, insisting that “equality can’t wait”.