Nigeria has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening gender equality policies and expanding economic opportunities for women as the global community convened for the 70th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70) at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.
Delivering Nigeria’s national statement, the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Iman Suleiman Ibrahim, outlined a series of policy initiatives aimed at strengthening women’s empowerment, social protection, and inclusive development.
Addressing delegates from across the world, the minister said Nigeria aligns with the position presented on behalf of the African Group at the event while reaffirming its own national commitment to advancing women’s rights.
“The Federal Republic of Nigeria aligns with the statement delivered on behalf of the African Group,” she told the gathering. “Nigeria is honored to join the international community at this important moment to affirm our collective commitment to advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment as a cornerstone for inclusive action, equitable justice, the safeguarding of rights and sustainable development.”
Renewed Hope agenda
Highlighting Nigeria’s national policy direction, the minister said the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has placed women and families at the center of its development strategy.
“In prioritizing this commitment,” she said, “our President, His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as part of the Renewed Hope Agenda, has declared 2026 as the Year of Nigerian Families and Social Development.”
According to her, the declaration represents a strategic recognition that families play a fundamental role in national development and social stability.
“This historic declaration reflects our firm belief that strengthening families is fundamental to empowering women, protecting children, and fostering cohesive communities,” she explained.
Sulaiman-Ibrahim noted that the government’s social protection architecture has expanded significantly over the past decade, providing support to millions of vulnerable households across the country and that women remain the primary beneficiaries of these programmes.
“Nigeria’s social protection architecture has expanded significantly from under one million households in 2015 to almost ten million households in 2026,” she said. “Women constitute over 70% of the primary beneficiaries,” the minister told delegates, adding that the expansion represents “one of the most significant social protection expansions in Nigeria’s post-independence history.”
Major investments in women’s empowerment
Beyond social protection, Nigeria is also scaling up targeted programmes aimed at accelerating women’s economic empowerment.
“We are now accelerating the delivery of our flagship programme, the Renewed Hope Social Impact Intervention 7074,” the minister said.
Describing the programme as one of the largest domestically driven investments in women’s empowerment in the country’s history, she explained that it integrates multiple interventions designed to address structural barriers faced by women.
According to the minister, the programme spans several sectors, including livelihood support, access to clean energy, financial inclusion, digital empowerment, and social protection.
Sulaiman-Ibrahim highlighted the government’s Women Digital Harmony initiative, which leverages digital platforms to expand access to opportunities and resources for women. One of the central components of the initiative is the Happy Women App.
“One of the components is the Happy Women App, a mobile platform that serves as a one-stop hub aggregating interventions and support for women,” she explained.
The minister said the platform is expected to reach millions of women across the country.
Tackling gender-based violence
Nigeria is also strengthening its institutional response to gender-based violence, particularly emerging forms linked to digital technology.
Sulaiman-Ibrahim told delegates that the government has introduced a comprehensive safeguarding framework designed to improve coordination among institutions responsible for responding to gender-based violence.
“This includes a National Electronic Dashboard to enhance real-time coordination, monitoring and accountability,” she explained.
The minister said the system will also help authorities track emerging trends such as technology-facilitated violence against women.
“To mitigate emerging trends in technology facilitated gender-based violence, we are actively scaling up prevention and survivor support systems across the country,” she said.
Recognizing the care economy
Nigeria is also prioritizing policies that recognize the economic value of care work, an area often overlooked in development planning.
Sulaiman-Ibrahim said the government is advancing the care economy as an important pathway toward gender equality and inclusive growth.
According to her, the initiative aims to address the disproportionate burden of unpaid care work carried by women.
“We are promoting policies that recognize and reduce unpaid care work while expanding childcare, eldercare and social support services,” she explained.
Such policies, she added, are essential for empowering women economically while strengthening family structures and community wellbeing.
Expanding economic opportunities
The minister also highlighted recent reforms aimed at improving women’s participation in Nigeria’s economy.
One of the most significant developments is the introduction of an affirmative procurement system to increase access for women-owned businesses to public procurement contracts.
She noted that the policy is designed to unlock significant economic opportunities for women entrepreneurs within Nigeria’s public sector market.
“Nigeria has seen a significant increase in domestic budget allocation for women,” she told delegates. “The prioritization of gender budgeting, gender finance and gender sensitive financial practices remains intentional in driving greater investment in gender equality, women’s empowerment, child development and social inclusion,” she said.
Political participation
Despite progress in several areas, the minister acknowledged that women’s political representation in Nigeria remains relatively low.
“Our women’s political representation in parliament remains below 10%,” she said.
However, she expressed optimism that ongoing legislative reforms could help improve the situation.
“The proposed Special Reserved Seat Bill represents a historic opportunity to enhance women’s participation in elective governance,” she said.
Beyond institutional reforms, Nigeria is also promoting cultural and social initiatives aimed at transforming gender norms.
“We are promoting positive masculinity as a strategy for advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment for inclusive and sustainable transformation,” the minister said.
Partnerships and global cooperation
Nigeria also reiterated its commitment to strengthening international cooperation in advancing women’s rights.
Sulaiman-Ibrahim said the government is working with global partners to translate international commitments into practical actions at the local level.
Among these initiatives is the promotion of CEDAW Cities, which aim to implement international standards on women’s rights within municipal governance structures.
The minister also mentioned Nigeria’s National Bold Child Policy.
“The National Bold Child Policy, developed alongside complementary frameworks, is currently under validation,” she said, adding that Nigeria welcomes deeper collaboration with international partners.
A continuing commitment
Concluding her remarks, the minister emphasized that Nigeria remains committed to advancing gender equality through sustained policy reforms and collaborative partnerships. While acknowledging the challenges that remain, she said the government believes empowering women is central to achieving national development.
“Our commitment is clear,” she concluded. “Advancing women’s empowerment is essential to building inclusive societies and achieving sustainable development.”
