Abuja, March 13, 2036 – Nigeria has reaffirmed its commitment to advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment on the global stage, as the Honourable Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, addressed world leaders at the 70th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70) holding at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City.
Leading a high-level Nigerian delegation to the global meeting, the Minister highlighted the country’s expanding efforts to strengthen the welfare of women, children, and families under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Speaking on behalf of Nigeria, Sulaiman-Ibrahim said the country aligns with the position of the African Group and is proud to join the international community in reaffirming its commitment to gender equality, inclusive development, and the protection of women’s rights.
According to the Minister, the administration of President Tinubu has taken significant steps to place families and social development at the center of national policy.
As part of the government’s Renewed Hope Agenda, 2026 has been declared Nigeria’s Year of Families and Social Development, a move she described as a historic declaration reflecting the President’s belief that strong families are essential to empowering women, protecting children, and building cohesive communities.
She noted that Nigeria’s social protection architecture has expanded dramatically over the past decade, growing from fewer than one million households in 2015 to nearly 10 million households in 2026. Women account for more than 70 percent of the primary beneficiaries, making the expansion one of the most significant in Nigeria’s post-independence history.
The Minister also unveiled Nigeria’s flagship Renewed Hope Social Impact Interventions 774 (RHSI774) programme, describing it as the largest locally driven investment in women’s empowerment in the country’s history. The initiative spans livelihood support, clean energy access, financial inclusion, digital empowerment, and social protection.
“Initiatives such as these are ambitious, but with strong commitment and partnerships they are achievable,” she assured the international audience.
A key component of Nigeria’s digital empowerment strategy is the Women Digital Harmony Initiative, which includes the Happy Woman App, a mobile platform designed as a one-stop hub connecting women to information, mentorship, and economic opportunities. The platform aims to link more than 20 million Nigerian women to support networks and empowerment resources.
Addressing the issue of gender-based violence, Sulaiman-Ibrahim said Nigeria has strengthened institutional responses through a comprehensive safeguard mechanism that includes a National Electronic Dashboard for real-time coordination, monitoring, and accountability.
The country is also scaling up prevention and survivor-support systems to address emerging trends such as technology-facilitated gender-based violence.
She further explained that Nigeria is advancing the care economy as a pathway to gender equality and inclusive growth by promoting policies that reduce unpaid care work and expand services such as childcare, eldercare, and social support systems.
The Minister highlighted Nigeria’s progress in strengthening legal and policy frameworks for gender equality, including the continued implementation of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act and the Child Rights Act, alongside the National Gender Policy and the National Women’s Economic Empowerment Policy.
She also pointed to the recently approved Affirmative Procurement System, designed to increase access for women-owned and women-led businesses to public contracts within Nigeria’s procurement system.
Despite these advances, the Minister acknowledged that women’s political representation in Nigeria’s parliament remains below 10 percent. However, she expressed optimism that the proposed Reserved Special Seats Bill could significantly improve women’s participation in elective governance.
Sulaiman-Ibrahim also noted the growing presence of women in leadership roles across both public and private sectors, particularly in finance, where women are increasingly shaping economic policy and investment decisions.
She further revealed that Nigeria is promoting positive masculinity as a strategy for gender equality, with the National Boy Child Policy currently undergoing validation to strengthen inclusive development frameworks.
Highlighting international collaboration, the Minister said Nigeria is promoting CEDAW Cities, an initiative that translates global commitments on women’s rights into concrete actions at city and community levels.
She also referenced the Nigeria for Women Program, a World Bank-supported initiative targeting 4.5 million women beneficiaries and focused on income generation and tackling harmful social norms that limit women’s opportunities.
The Minister concluded by reaffirming Nigeria’s commitment to working with the global community to accelerate progress toward gender equality, expand opportunities for women and girls, and strengthen families as the foundation of sustainable development.
The statement was issued by Ahmed Lawan Danbazau, Head of Press and Public Relations at the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development.