Federal Government, in partnership with the African Development Bank (AfDB) and UN Women, has launched the Nigeria Gender Profile and Roadmap to Equality 2030, aimed at tackling gender disparities and advancing women’s empowerment.
Speaking at the launch in Abuja, the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, described the initiative as an evidence-based framework that outlines the current state of gender equality and sets out targets for progress by 2030.
Focus on eight priority areas
The roadmap targets eight key areas, including institutional reforms, economic empowerment, education and skills development, leadership representation, access to essential services, conflict and climate response, and the elimination of harmful social norms.
The Minister said the framework is supported by existing policies, including the National Gender Policy and the Women’s Economic Empowerment Policy, as well as sector-specific guidelines to drive implementation across government institutions.
She urged ministries, departments and agencies to take ownership of the roadmap, stressing that achieving gender equality requires coordinated action across all sectors.
Gender equality ‘an economic necessity’
The acting Vice President of the African Development Bank, Dr Abdul Kamara, said the roadmap offers a practical framework for driving economic growth and social development.
He said gender equality should be viewed not only as a social objective but also as an economic imperative, warning that limiting women’s participation in the economy could slow Nigeria’s growth.
According to him, closing gender gaps could increase Nigeria’s economic output by between 2% and 3% annually through stronger human capital development, expanded entrepreneurship and improved social stability.
Barriers to women’s participation
Dr Kamara said women continue to face challenges in accessing finance, land, markets and technology, describing these obstacles as barriers to national development.
He highlighted AfDB initiatives supporting women-owned businesses, including the Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA), a $200m facility with the Bank of Industry and a $61m support package for the Development Bank of Nigeria.
He added that gender considerations have been integrated into the bank’s more than $6bn investment portfolio in Nigeria.
Call for implementation
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs Esuabana Nko Asanye, represented by Mrs Sweet Ogunduyile, said the roadmap would help assess progress and strengthen coordinated efforts towards inclusion and empowerment.
She said gender equality is a national development issue that requires the participation of women, men, girls and boys.
The UN Women Representative to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Beatrice Eyong, represented by Operations Manager Damar Ghimire, said gender inequality continues to hinder inclusive and sustainable economic growth.
He urged stakeholders to move beyond policy commitments and ensure effective implementation of the roadmap to achieve lasting change by 2030.
RN
